Revealed: Union leaders driving industrial biffo across Sydney and Melbourne
Unions have recently shut down light rail and campaigned against the AFL’s new umpiring boss. These are the key players and who their enemies are. See the list.
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Unions have been flexing their muscles in two states this week.
In Sydney, the light rail network stopped for 24 hours, causing commuter chaos.
In Melbourne, a campaign to boot the head of umpiring from the AFL over his previous job as a construction industry regulator is underway.
So who is pulling the strings and driving the industrial biffo?
From kings of construction to titans of transport – these are the key players.
CFMEU (Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union)
Members: 115,000
John Setka
Secretary, construction division Victoria
Mr Setka, who is not running for a new term at elections this year, is one of Australian unionism’s most controversial figures. He’s been shunned by other unionists over issues including his volatile relationship with his estranged wife, Emma Walters, and comments he made about family violence advocate Rosie Battie. He’s also been a major cause of a damaging split within the CFMEU. Victorian assistant secretary Derek Christopher is Mr Setka’s preferred successor.
Faction: Industrial Left – although Mr Setka himself quit the Labor Party in 2019.
Enemies: Grocon boss Daniel Grollo, ACTU secretary Sally McManus, Ms Walters … there’s a long list.
Stoushes: Currently at war with the AFL over the appointment as head of umpiring of Stephen McBurney, who was head of CFMEU foe the Australian Building and Construction Commission until it was abolished by Labor last year.
RTBU (Rail Tram and Bus Union)
Members: 35,000
Alex Claassens
NSW branch secretary
Mr Claassens is a familiar face to Sydneysiders – the former train driver has run the RTBU’s many battles with state government for more than 14 years. Under his leadership, clashes have included a bitter battle in 2022 which saw services disrupted by industrial action including driving slowly and commuters left without trains after a government lockout.
Faction: Left.
Enemies: Former transport minister David Elliott, light rail operator Transdev.
Stoushes: Light rail drivers in the division led by David Babineau are currently driving one in four trams under the speed limit as part of a fight with Transdev for a 23 per cent pay rise over four years, causing chaos on the public transport network. On Wednesday, they stopped work for 24 hours causing commuter chaos.
TWU (Transport Workers Union)
Members: 56,000
Michael Kaine
National secretary
Mr Kaine has run the transport union amid turmoil in the sector that includes Covid, the collapse of airline Virgin and the illegal sacking of thousands of Qantas workers. He’s expanded the union’s reach from traditionally employed workers into the gig economy, taking on meal delivery companies over pay and conditions – especially the safety of riders. He was re-elected for another four years in 2022.
Faction: Labor Right.
Enemies: Former Qantas boss Alan Joyce, who he said left “one of the biggest messes in corporate Australia’s history in his wake” when he retired last year.
Stoushes: Multiple with Qantas, including the Federal Court finding Qantas illegally sacked 1700 workers during Covid (compensation is yet to be decided). Currently fighting Virgin’s new owner, private equity group Bain Capital, over the possibility it could appoint a former Qantas executive involved in the illegal sacking, Paul Jones, as chief executive.
UWU (United Workers Union)
Members: 150,000
Gary Bullock
National political director
Nicknamed “Blocker”, Mr Bullock is sometimes called the most powerful man in Queensland. A former confidant of Anna Palaszczuk, he was reportedly instrumental in a deal that saw her step down as premier in favour of treasurer Steven Miles. His greatest hits include kicking down the door of the state education minister during a 1990s protest over the government’s sacking of 3000 school cleaners.
Faction: Labor Left.
Enemies: CFMEU Queensland boss Michael Ravbar, who has claimed he’s “been a disaster for the union movement”.
Stoushes: The UWU organised a strike over aged care pay and conditions amid a crisis in the sector in 2022 and last year the Fair Work Commission ordered a 15 per cent increase, with additional rises of up to 14 per cent ordered in a follow-up ruling this year.
SDA (Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees’ Association)
Members: 210,000
Gerard Dwyer
National secretary-treasurer
The shoppies have traditionally been a less aggressive union but in recent years has become more active to fend off competition from others including the UWU, TWU and RAFFWU. It has a strong powerbase in South Australia, where it has backed one of the Albanese Government’s key Senate powerbrokers, Trade Minister Don Farrell. Mr Dwyer has been in charge since 2014.
Faction: Labor Right.
Enemies: the Retail and Fast Food Workers Union, an insurgent union that attacks the SDA as a sell-out.
Stoushes: In addition to its border war with RAFFWU, the SDA has been fighting McDonalds in court over allegations it denied workers paid breaks.
AWU (Australian Workers’ Union)
Members: 75,000
Paul Farrow
National secretary
Mr Farrow took over from Dan Walton, who was regarded as a star of the union and the ALP, last year. The union has campaigned hard on saving manufacturing jobs and was instrumental in a 2017 deal where controversial British steel magnate Sanjeev Gupta took over the Whyalla mil, which was in danger of closing following the collapse of owner Arrium. It is frequently involved in demarcation disputes with the more aggressive CFMEU over jobs on big government infrastructure projects.
Faction: Labor Right.
Enemies: The CFMEU and especially John Setka.
Stoushes: Currently fighting Mr Setka over Victoria’s Big Build, with Mr Setka angrily denying claims of bullying and harassment by his union towards the AWU.
ANMF (Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation)
Members: 100,000
Lisa Fitzpatrick
Victorian secretary
Ms Fitzpatrick was rolled by her members at a mass meeting last month where they voted against a state government pay offer she’d recommended. The offer, which came after nurses took industrial action closing 800 beds, would have resulted in pay rises of between 18 and 23 per cent over four years - but the union was unable to give members an exact figure. Talks have resumed and in the meantime on Monday Ms Fitzpatrick got a Kings Birthday gong for her services to the profession.
Faction: unaffiliated.
Enemies: Victorian health minister Mary-Anne Thomas.
Stoushes: In addition to the public hospital stoush, the union is also fighting enterprise agreement campaigns against private hospitals.
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Originally published as Revealed: Union leaders driving industrial biffo across Sydney and Melbourne
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