NSW union members to march on Macquarie Street after CFMEU gutted
Members and supporters of the CFMEU are set to down tools and rally as part of a nationwide protest.
NSW
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Furious union members are set to march on NSW Parliament this week as part of a nationwide series of rallies protesting the Federal Government plunging the CFMEU into administration.
Hundreds of supporters are expected to protest on Macquarie Street over the move, which resulted in more than 270 union officials being axed from their roles on Friday morning.
That included the NSW branch’s leadership, consisting of state secretary Darren Greenfield, as well as assistant secretary Rob Kera and NSW president Rita Mallia.
It’s understood members of other construction unions may join in the NSW action.
The NSW branch has maintained silence since the move after issuing a statement on Friday.
“The CFMEU is shocked and appalled to learn through the media, rather than direct communications from the Federal Government or the Administrator, that 270 officials have been terminated,” the statement read.
Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus made the announcement on Friday morning that hundreds of union members would be removed from the union’s construction and general division, with Victorian barrister Mark Irving KC appointed as the administrator.
It came after landmark legislation required to place the union into administration passed federal parliament last week.
Similar rallies are being planned across Australia for Tuesday.
Federal Workplace Relations Minister Murray Watt acknowledged that Australians had a right to protest but said the activity on Tuesday “won’t change the fact that the construction division of the CFMEU is now in administration”.
“Construction work is hard, dangerous work, and construction workers deserve a union that is strong and effective but also is clean,” Senator Watt said.
“I think that is in the interest of construction workers and the union movement more generally.”
Senator Watt on Sunday revealed he had no involvement in Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus’s decision to put the construction division into administration in an attempt to prevent any legal challenges.
“I had no conversation or discussions with Mark Dreyfus at all,” Senator Watt said.
“He made that decision independently, and again, that was done in order to ensure that these laws and these decisions stand up in court.”
Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry boss Andrew McKellar said there was an “ingrained culture” in the CFMEU which meant that they were not going to “lie down and go away”.
“That culture has to be broken,” Mr McKellar said.
He said a number of measures, including administration, were needed to clamp down on coercion, standover tactics and alleged criminal conduct in order to get results.
“Clearly, there will be an ongoing battle in this space,” Mr McKellar said.
“But this is the best opportunity in decades to put an end to the corrupt culture that has been rampant across the construction industry in Australia.”
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Originally published as NSW union members to march on Macquarie Street after CFMEU gutted
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