Most recidivist offenders in the CFMEU revealed

Just five CFMEU officials have racked up 74 breaches of industrial law and $154,000 in fines in the past five years, exposing the recidivist activities of the militant union.

Just five CFMEU officials have racked up 74 breaches of industrial law and $154,000 in fines in the past five years, exposing the recidivist activities of the militant union.

Industrial relations Minister Michaelia Cash has seized on the figures to argue the union has “little regard for the law” and criticise Labor for planning to scrap the construction industry watchdog which enforces the law.

But Labor says it makes no apologies for its policy, labelling the watchdog a “discredited organisation”.

The CFMEU has been accused of being a recidivist offender in industrial relations. Picture: Matt Taylor

The Federal Court has hit the CFMEU and its officials in Queensland with more than $3 million since the Australian Building Construction Commission was reformed in December 2016, coming under criticism from the judiciary for its repeat offences.

Analysis of Federal Court judgments since then show union organiser Justin Steele had been fined $40,000 for 20 contraventions, more than any of his colleagues.

He was followed by Kurt Pauls with 15 contraventions of industrial law and $37,500 in fines.

The other three officials on the list include Kevin Griffin, who is no longer with the union, Tony Kong and Edward Bland, each with between 11 and 14 contraventions and total fines ranging between $21,000 and $29,000.

Among the five officials, the most frequent contraventions included coercion, unlawful industrial action, freedom of association and right of entry.

Opposition leader Anthony Albanese last year, mirroring a policy from former leader Bill Shorten, promised to abolish the ABCC if election and not replace it.

When Labor was last in government it replaced the ABCC with the Fair Work Building and Construction Commission in 2012, rather than scrapping it entirely.

Attorney-General Michaelia Cash says it is ‘astonishing’ Labor wants to abolish the construction industry watchdog Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

Senator Cash said it was “astonishing” Labor wanted to scrap the commission.

“(It’s record) illustrates how little regard the CFMMEU and its official have for the rule of law,” she said.

“Despite the successes of the watchdog in reigning in such flagrant law breaking by the CFMMEU, Labor wants to return to the lawlessness on construction sites.”

The CFMEU Queensland branch was contacted for comment but did not respond to questions.

Opposition industrial relations spokesman Tony Burke said the ABCC was a “discredited organisation” that targeted workers.

“It was set up by a government hellbent on dismantling unions and undermining the pay, conditions and job security of ordinary Australians. We make no apologies for promising to abolish it,” he said.

He said the ABCC had been found to have acted unlawfully, referring to its former commissioner Nigel Hadgkiss who resigned in 2017 after he admitted to having breached the Fair Work Act for having misrepresented right of entry rules.