John Setka is planning to use the militant construction union’s hundreds of delegates and members to boost the CFMEU’s influence on internal Labor politics in the Victorian and federal parliaments.

At a meeting of 625 construction union delegates on Thursday, Mr Setka set out plans for the Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union to sign up 1000 rank-and-file members to the Labor Party to reverse the union’s politically weak status.