Construction union boss’s crack at Albo ‘waving the white flag’

The boss of a division of the militant CFMMEU has unleashed in an extraordinary attack on Labor leader Anthony Albanese, as the union itself faces a potential split.

The construction division of the militant CFMMEU has unleashed at Opposition leader Anthony Albanese for “waving the white flag” and not “showing backbone”, as the powerful union’s civil war looks set to spill onto Labor.

It followed the Federal Labor caucus moving to back draft laws, without dissent, which could allow a split between the mining and energy division of the union from the construction, forestry and maritime branches.

It comes as the head of the mining and energy division Tony Maher accused the construction branch of “self-interest”, “hostile number crunching” and steamrolling smaller branches.

CFMMEU construction division national secretary Dave Noonan says Anthony Albanese should “show a bit more backbone”. Picture: Roy VanDerVegt

In all but a declaration of war, CFMMEU construction boss Dave Noonan took aim at the Opposition leader, who is already working to regain support from blue-collar workers.

“We are disappointed that Anthony Albanese has put up the white flag to the first of a series of industrial relations measures that the government is putting to Parliament this week,” Mr Noonan said.

“We hope that he shows a bit more backbone when it comes to fighting penalty rate cuts, which are under attack and casual work, which is under attack.”

Labor’s caucus supported the proposed demerger bill, pending final details, which will allow divisions of a union vote to split from the whole, in cases where there were issues of illegality or unlawful behaviour. It is expected to pass Parliament this week.

The mining and energy branch of the CFMMEU is considering a split from the construction and maritime division at the union’s March convention, following a fallout of heavyweights Tony Maher and Michael O’Connor with controversial construction union figure John Setka.

Mr Albanese took action to have Mr Setka expelled from the Labor party for involvement in a range of activities in breach of the party’s values, including a harassment conviction against his wife, but the union boss quit before it happened.

In a message sent to members, Mr Maher said they would explore the options the Bill presented, while accusing the construction division of replacing solidarity with self interest.

“The construction division has made it clear that they will use their numbers to steamroll smaller divisions, force decisions in their favour and run the CFMMEU as a construction union,” he said.

Opposition leader Anthony Albanese has been targeted by the construction division of the CFMMEU. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Gary Ramage

Mr Albanese’s office was contacted for comment.

The CFMMEU donated almost $100,000 to Queensland Labor in the past two years alone.

Courts handed down $1.7 million in fines against the CFMMEU in cases brought against it by the Australian Building Construction Commission in 2019-20.

It comes as the Federal Government is expected to introduce broader industrial relations reforms to Parliament today, including streamlining the “better off overall test” (BOOT) for enterprise agreements.

Attorney-General Christian Porter said proposed changes to the BOOT include requiring the Fair Work Commission to decide applications within 21 days.

“Unions and employers know the system is broken and want it fixed,” he said.

But there will also be provisions which could essentially allow the test to be bypassed for two years, in limited circumstances based on COVID-19 impacts.