Union members rally in Brisbane to support CFMEU
Former CFMEU Queensland secretary Michael Ravbar has told a rally in Brisbane that what happened to the embattled union was “undemocratic, un-Australian and unconstitutional”.
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Former CFMEU Queensland secretary Michael Ravbar has told a rally in Brisbane that the union being placed in administration was “undemocratic, un-Australian and unconstitutional”, while former national president Jade Ingham labelled it the worst attack on the union movement in Australia’s history.
Mr Ravbar thanked members of the union and the wider trade union movement for the support since the CFMEU was plunged into administration, as he addressed the crowd of hundreds at the rally at Emma Miller Place, Roma St, on Tuesday.
“I want to say thank you for all the support that you’ve given me, Kane (Lowth) and Jade (Ingham), we’re all unemployed, but f**k we’re busy as being unemployed” he said.
“It’s been game on for the last three weeks, putting the campaign together.
“It’s not easy being a small group, but we’re a determined group.”
Tuesday’s rally started at 11am and had the same title as the Your Union, Your Choice campaign that was launched by CFMEU heavyweights at a rally in Brisbane in August after the union was plunged into administration.
Sacked former CFMEU bosses including state secretary Mr Ravbar and former national president and Queensland assistant secretary and now Your Union, Your Choice director Jade Ingham were among those who formed the group.
Mr Ravbar told Tuesday’s rally that the Your Union, Your Choice campaign was about putting the union “back in your hands”.
“Your union was stolen, the process that they did was undemocratic, it was un-Australian and was unconstitutional,” he said.
“And since we’ve started the campaign going, the financial support of everyone else in the trade union has been phenomenal.”
Mr Ravbar and Mr Ingham were among more than 270 CFMEU officials, including 21 in Queensland, who were dismissed after the union was put into administration last month by the federal government.
It followed allegations the CFMEU had been infiltrated by criminals including bikies.
The Your Union Your Choice campaign was formed last month to launch a High Court challenge against laws forcing the union into administration.
A team of barristers led by arguably Australia’s top silk, Bret Walker SC, will run the union challenge to what Mr Ingham has described as “active treachery and class warfare against the working class in this country from the state and federal governments”.
Mr Ravbar on Tuesday added that the High Court challenge was being watched with great interest around the country.
“The High Court won’t be the silver bullet, but what we’ve got to do is make sure, as a movement, that the people that are trying to destroy the CFMEU, that we destroy them,” he said.
“The High Court will be heard expedite – what that means is going to be heard fairly quickly – before Christmas.
“Everyone in the legal fraternity and around Australia is watching this case, this is about fairness and justice, natural justice, about abuse of power, executive powers of government.
“People should never give any government too much power, but to attack decent, hardworking people because you’re standing up telling the government they’re doing a sh*t job, and then trying to destroy this great union – well, that’ll never happen.
“You’re the force that’s out there and we’ve got to keep the campaign going.”
Mr Ingham also fired up in front of the crowd, labelling the CFMEU being put into administration as the worst attack on the union movement in Australia’s history.
“Our union is under the worst attack that we’ve ever been faced with, it’s the worst attack on any union in this country’s history,” Mr Ingham said.
“This fight that we’re all in now is much bigger than the 270 office holders that were ripped out of their democratically elected positions on the 23rd of August.
“It’s much bigger than just unions in general, this is a fight for the type of country that we want to live in and the type of country that we want our children to grow up in.
“That’s the fight that we’re all in and we didn’t start this fight, we’re going to finish it.”
Mr Ingham called out the political elite for lighting a fire within the trade union movement.
“Trade unionism is that fire that burns inside of you, that’s what they can’t defeat,” he said.
“Trade unionism in this country is here to stay. History will condemn our class enemies, the truth will set us free – it will set all of us free from the chains, from the shackles, from the control of the political elites.
“We only get beaten if we let them beat us and we’re not going to let them beat us.
“These b*stards have lit a fire and it’s turned into a f**king bushfire.”
Queensland Teachers Union rank and file member and teacher Rebecca Barrigos addressed the crowd in a show of solidarity and support for the fight the CFMEU faced.
“This attack that the Labor government has launched on the CFMEU is a precedent-setting attack on democracy and all unionists in this country, and it must be resisted,” she said.
Ms Barrigos added that union members from all industries understand the struggles they face in the “common fight” for better working conditions.
“It may not look to a lot of people on the outside, definitely not in the media, like we have common interests. Yeah me and you, white collar workers, blue collar workers, teachers, construction workers, but we do have common interests,” she said.
“Make no mistake, public school teachers or workers whose safety is under threat every single day on the job, and our employer the government, has done nothing to improve those conditions.
“So the solidarity we speak to you is not just words, it’s about recognition that we’re in a common fight to secure the safety of workers in Queensland.
“I’m a history teacher as well as an English teacher, and one thing I do know is the history of trade unionism and of workers’ rights in this country shows us that when we dare to struggle as a class together, we dare to win.”
CFMEU member Robyn Fletcher, who lost her brother-in-law in a coal mining accident and is from a six-generation union family, said that being part of an union is empowering.
“As a woman in this high-risk industry, I can tell you that having an union behind me is empowering,” she said.
“It ensures that I understand my rights at work, it gives me the confidence to speak up without the fear of retaliation.
“I know that no matter what happens, I have the unwavering support of my union.”
Ms Fletcher also moved to address the support for women the union has shown.
“The women in our union is growing day by day,” she said.
“I actually heard a rumour that the CFMEU women are leaving in droves – I call bulls--t.”
Ms Fletcher then asked the crowd: “What do you girls say?” receiving a unified response of “bulls--t”.
Tuesday’s rally was being run by the Electrical Trades Union Queensland and Northern Territory branch and had a permit for 5000 people, with a strong contingent of CFMEU members among the crowd.
ETU Queensland and Northern Territory Branch assistant secretary Chris Lynch said the organisation was proud to stand side by side with the CFMEU, labelling the proposed bill as an attack on the union movement.
“They’re thinking that if they get rid of the CFMEU, then the rest will follow,” he said on Tuesday.
“Well, let’s send that clear message. They want to touch the CFMEU, then they’ll be touching the ETU, they’ll be having a crack at the plumbers, they’ll be having a crack at the AMWU, they’re having a crack at all the other unions.
“So touch one you w*nkers and you will touch us all.”
Mr Lynch added that there would be more rallies to come in support of the CFMEU, where they would “take to the streets”.
“This is our second rally, and it’s great to see the numbers, the numbers aren’t dying,” he said.
“That gives me peace of mind that I am living in a democratic country, and I’m living with people that can tell right from wrong.
“We will, in the future, be having more rallies, we will, in the future, when the time is right, take to the streets.
“We will be letting everyone know how angry and how unjust this legislation is, if it is not pissed off before the next election.”
Many at Tuesday’s rally carried CFMEU flags while others held up signs condemning Sally McManus, secretary of the Australian Council of Trade Unions which is the peak body representing unions in Australia.
Some of the signs read “Sally McManus class traitor” and “Sally McThatcher against workers”, likening Ms McManus to former UK Tory prime minister Margaret Thatcher, who famously smashed that country’s coal mining union. Ms McManus has come under fire for not taking a hard stance against the Federal Government over the union being placed into administration.
Mr Ravbar unveiled the Your Union Your Choice movement at a mass rally last month when thousands of angry building workers and supporters marched through Brisbane, bringing the CBD to a standstill.
He had also earlier urged unionists to vote out Labor at next month’s state election, accusing Premier Steven Miles of being a “puppet” for Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
Other rallies will be held in Sydney and Melbourne this week.
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