Bikies’ threats to CFMEU members for six-figure compensation

Security has been beefed up at CFMEU offices across Australia as union heavyweights cop menacing threats from bikies who are demanding large sums of cash.

Exclusive: Former CFMEU heavyweights are being stood over by bikies who are demanding six-figure compensation payments because their “business model” has been smashed.

It can be revealed that sacked CFMEU assistant secretaries Elias Spernovasilis and Derek Christopher have received menacing threats from bikies demanding “compensation”.

Multiple sources have confirmed the union leaders, who were both in line to take over the powerful Victorian CFMEU branch from John Setka, have been hit up for cash.

The former powerbrokers each received more than $250,000 in redundancy payments when they were forced out of the union when it was put into administration in August.

The bikies are demanding compensation. Picture Martin Ollman /Archive

They had been in a battle with rival CFMEU assistant secretary Joe Myles, who had overseen a surge of labour hire, or casual work, on major Victorian government projects.

The Rebels and Mongols bikie gangs were the most high profile construction industry players, however, the source of the demands have not been confirmed.

Building industry sources say the revelations mean that union leaders now understand what bosses had been subjected to for decades.

An insider said there was little sympathy in the industry about the threats former union officials were facing, suggesting the intimidation was “just deserts’’ for allowing criminals to infiltrate the union.

“They’ve been told (by bikies) ‘we had an enterprise where we were making money. We have lost our jobs and we can’t get work anywhere else, so pay up’,’’ a source said.

It comes as it can also be revealed that Mr Setka, who helmed the CFMEU in Victoria for 12-years, was also fearful for his safety and has been keeping a low profile.

The crisis within the militant union has also led to police warning CFMEU administrator Mark Irving KC of an imminent death threat.

Elias Spernovasilis has been on the receiving end of the threats. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

Mr Irving has beefed up security at CFMEU offices across the country.

There have been widespread concerns about safety within the broader union movement since the CFMEU was put into administration.

Australian Council of Trade Unions secretary Sally McManus has also taken measures to up her safety protocols after publicly denouncing any criminality and thuggery within CFMEU.

Ms McManus had asked Mr Setka to resign in 2019 after earlier controversies.

Mr Setka, who has lodged a workers’ compensation complaint over a post traumatic stress disorder condition, had claimed that he quit the union to avoid it being put into administration.

Mr Irving has beefed up security at CFMEU offices across the country. Picture: David Clark

A group of blue collar unions, including the Electrical Trades Union, has funded a High Court challenge against the federal government’s new laws that allowed the crackdown on the CFMEU.

The case will be heard over two days from December 11 at the High Court in Canberra.

Blue collar unions will meet the day before the case in Canberra as they consider the future of their membership of the ACTU.

Any decision on the case was likely to be handed down before March next year, ahead of the likely May election.

The ETU and the plumbers union have cut off the Labor Party from campaign donations, which could have been several million dollars.

That money was instead poured into the High Court challenge.

Mr Iriving sacked at least 270 CFMEU officials when he took over, but sources claim that bikies were still exerting influence on building sites.