Opposition wants CFMEU state secretary sacked from Government board over union’s $1m fine in Federal Court case

A SENIOR union official must be immediately sacked from a paid State Government board position after being found liable in a $1 million Federal Court case, the Opposition says.

CFMEU state secretary Aaron Cartledge.

• CFMEU SA branch fined $1m for workplace law breaches

A SENIOR union official must be immediately sacked from a paid State Government board position after being found liable in a $1 million Federal Court case, the Opposition says.

Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union SA secretary Aaron Cartledge was in April personally fined $3750 and his organisation hit with almost $1 million in fines following a spike in unlawful activities on SA building sites dating back as far as 2014.

Allegations against union members included that they acted inappropriately on a series of prominent sites including the Flinders University, Adelaide Oval and Quest Apartments.

Mr Cartledge has previously also been penalised for contravening right of entry laws by hindering management on the $75 million CBus construction site on Flinders St.

He currently sits as a Government appointment on the Construction Industry Long Service Leave Board, which pays $177 per meeting, and formerly earned more than $12,000 per year in a position with the SafeWork SA Advisory Board before it was abolished this year.

Opposition parliamentary secretary Stephan Knoll said the Government should invoke laws allowing for board members found guilty of “dishonourable conduct” to be sacked.

Allegations against union members included that they acted inappropriately on a series of prominent sites including the Adelaide Oval.

“This behaviour also comes at a cost to every single South Australian, as much of the work is being conducted on sites that have had significant levels of government money expended on them,” Mr Knoll told State Parliament.

“If this sort of behaviour on worksites and the number of convictions made against the CFMEU and Mr Cartledge in particular does not constitute dishonourable behaviour or dishonourable conduct, then I do not know what does.”

He said Mr Cartledge may be receiving protection because of the more than $110,000 it has donated to the Labor Party in the past two years and strong internal factional influence.

Industrial Relations Minister John Rau said he would consider the sacking call.

“I am not aware as to what the present state of that matter is,” Mr Rau said.

“For example, assuming his facts to be correct ... this may or may not be a matter which is the subject of ongoing proceedings in the court.

“It might be that there is an appeal. I don’t know. I will make the appropriate investigations and get back.”

The Government was last night still awaiting departmental advice.