CFMMEU threatens Victorian secretary John Setka with legal action

Union officials have threatened embattled CFMMEU boss John Setka with legal action after he allegedly told two organisers they ‘wouldn’t have a career left’ if they did not defect to his division.

Construction Forestry Maritime Mining and Energy Union (CFMMEU) boss John Setka is facing legal action after an alleged move to “pinch” members from a rival division.

Mr Setka is accused of demanding two union organiser defect from manufacturing to his construction division, The Australian reports. He allegedly told them their careers would be over if they did not jump ship.

It comes Mr Setka battles calls to step down from his position after he allegedly told union executives that anti-domestic violence campaigner Rosy Batty’s advocacy work had lead to men having fewer rights.

Meanwhile, Scott Morrison is attempting to win crossbench support for powerful union-busting laws.

CFMMEU Victorian secretary John Setka allegedly attempted to get two union organisers to defect to his construction division. Picture: David Crosling

A barrister has been briefed on the matter and legal documents have been prepared for Federal Court action, according to The Australian. Union officials are understood to be considering an interlocutory injunction to stop any more poaching attempts by Mr Setka’s division.

Mr Setka is believed to have called the two organisers to his office where he demanded the defect or “you won’t have a career left”.

“When you come over, you are going to be pinching their (manufacturing) members,” Mr Setka allegedly said, according to the organisers’ accounts to national offic­ials.

Poaching members from a rival division is believed to be against CFMMEU rules.

In an attempt to stave off a legal challenge, Mr Setka will be asked to give an undertaking in writing that no attempt would be made to poach members from the manufacturing division. Officials said that would Federal Court action if no undertaking was provided.

Mr Setka refused The Australian’s request for comment.

Prime Minister Scott Morrision is attempting to win crossbench support for powerful union-busting laws. Picture: AAP

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“Lawyers have been briefed and affidavits prepared because this is a clear breach of the rules,’’ one official said, according to The Australian.

“If we don’t get ­assurances from him in writing that this is not happening, we will be filing.”

Mr Setka has also been accused of telling union colleagues that domestic violence advocacy by Rosie Batty had eroded men’s rights — comments he said were an “outrageous lie” peddled for “political gain”. He has refused to step down from his position despite calls from Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese and Australian Council of Trade Unions secretary Sally McManus

Attorney-General Christian Porter said in June he believed the CFMMEU should be deregistered over an “extraordinarily high standard of unlawful activity”.

Mr Morrision needs to win the support of four Senate crossbenchers to pass his “ensuring integrity” bill, that would make it easier for the Federal Court to deregister unions and ban union officials.

Read more at The Australian.