What you said about CFMEU protest as members face pay cuts, job losses

It’s time to shut down the CFMEU. The response to the controversial union’s Brisbane protests has been savage. HAVE YOUR SAY

It’s time to shut down the CFMEU.

The response to the controversial union’s Brisbane protests has been savage and swift, as readers insist the time has come.

Hundreds of CFMEU members face being sacked or their pay docked amid the unlawful strikes, which sent the city’s largest construction sites into near shutdown.

Queensland’s property and construction peak bodies also warned the unlawful protests for political purposes would cause a “massive loss of momentum” on critical projects — including housing.

The large protest came after the High Court’s decision this week to uphold the federal government’s administration of the CFMEU’s construction arm — a move sparked by reports the union had been infiltrated by bikies and underworld figures.

It’s understood the hundreds of striking CFMEU workers had come from major jobs sites including the Cross River Rail project, the $800m 360 Queen St site, the mega $2.5bn Waterfront Brisbane development and already delayed state-government funded Performing Arts Centre.

Transport Minister Brent Mickelberg called the union a “national disgrace” and vowed to stamp out behaviour that impeded the state’s productivity rate.

Readers were also quick to pile into the CFMEU, with about 83 per cent in an online poll voting to shut it down.

See what you had to say below and join the conversation >>>

WHAT YOU SAID

Time to go, CFMEU

Wallace

Sack them.

Watch them squirm when they can’t pay the bills because of the decisions they made

John

I encourage the CFMU thugs to keep digging the deep hole they have now started so that a strong government that upholds the laws of this country will oversee them getting buried in their own displaced dirt.

Peter

So they are striking to protest a high court decision!! That will achieve nothing. Maybe it is the moment for the government and construction industry to put a stake in the ground.

Raymond

Get rid of them all. Start again and save billions.

■ Wild CFMEU history in Qld

The CFMEU protesting out the front of their Bowen Hills Office after the lose in the High Court. Picture: David Clark

They’re a disgrace

Allan

Their actions have proved the point why something needed to be done. They think they are above the law.

The Rhythmical Remedy

Would it be too much to ask them to accept the umpire’s decision and stop holding us all to ransom?

Tony

The CFMEU is already considered as desirable as a cow pat for breakfast & this action is only reinforcing that idea in the mind of the general public. If they believe in their grievance they need to win public support, not ridicule

otg

Say good bye to 2032 Olympics and a huge bill and guess who is going to pay for it........ Tax payers/Queenslanders

Scott

If only they put as much energy and enthusiasm into their jobs as they do in striking, we wouldn’t have all these cost blowouts and delays!

The protests will continue on Friday.

Wider issues

Rosie

Why is this so called union still registered? A Federal issue?

Scutus

The Albanese Labor government is in the process of deregistering them, just as the Hawke Labor government deregistered their predecessor union the BLF. It’s a legal process and therefore they require prosecutable evidence that can be viewed objectively by a court of law for a fair and impartial decision to be made.

Democracy and rule of law is a slow process but it reflects the freedoms we venerate as a democratic nation. Would you prefer an autocratic dictatorship where both theirs and your rights and freedoms were crushed under the boot of a tyrant and the rule of law, for all of us, was non-existent?

Christine

@Scutus Why would he get rid of the hand that feeds him?

Nick

I work as a white collar manager on CFMEU sites and most of the workers I speak to don’t like the union and are happy with the current pay conditions but are scared to not join in as they will be bullied, threatened and ostracised.