Labor doubles down on support for CFMEU administration as allied union announces historic split

One of Labor’s key allies has unloaded on the party, claiming that its treatment of the CFMEU is a ‘how to guide to destroy any trade union’.

An influential union has split from the Labor Party for the first time in the party’s modern history, as internal tensions brew over its treatment of the CFMEU.

On Wednesday night, the Communications, Electrical & Plumbing Union’s (CEPU) state executive voted to disaffiliate from Labor, in a nation-first move since the CFMEU was plunged into administration by the federal government.

The Advertiser understands that interstate branches are holding similar discussions, having already split from the Australian Council of Trade Unions last week and talks underway to form a rival bloc.

Several hundred people gathered at Parliament House last month to protest the CFMEU being plunged into administration. Picture: Matt Loxton

The ‘sparkies’ have been one of the embattled construction union’s strongest backers since administrator Mark Irving KC stood down 292 officials last month – most of whom have not been accused of wrongdoing.

The Advertiser understands Premier Peter Malinauskas was invited to the meeting but could not attend due to other commitments.

The CEPU’s state council met twice in the past two months to deliberate the historic move, which means it will no longer participate in party decisions and the powerful state executive.

CEPU SA secretary John Adley called the government’s actions toward the CFMEU “an affront to civil liberties and established legal conventions”. Picture: Matt Loxton

In a letter to members explaining the decision, CEPU SA secretary John Adley said that “recent actions of the (Labor Party) are fundamentally detrimental to the interests of our members”.

Mr Adley said the legislation was “an affront to civil liberties and established legal conventions, including the right to procedural fairness and the presumption of innocence”.

“As a union, we strongly believe that corruption and criminality is unacceptable and should not be tolerated in the construction, or any other, industry,” he said.

“We also believe that any allegation of this type of conduct should be dealt with by the established legal processes.

“The damaging impacts of this legislation on workers will be felt wider than just the construction industry. The legislation is a ‘how to guide’ for any future government to destroy any trade union.

“Our members will continue to review our position regarding political affiliation at future branch CEPU SA conferences.”

The SA sparkies’ union has made the historic move of separating from the Labor Party. Picture: Matt Loxton

While an SA Police investigation unveiled no local wrongdoing, several CFMEU officials in Victoria and New South Wales are being probed over allegations of intimidation, bribery and at least one threat to kill.

SA Labor secretary Aemon Bourke said that despite the separation, “Labor’s relationship with the trade union movement remains strong”.

“This is a matter for the CEPU,” Mr Bourke said.

“The South Australian Labor Party supports the federal government’s approach.”

After thousands of workers across the country downed tools last month to vent their rage, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese reiterated his promise to “clean up” the union.

“We respect the work that construction workers do … What we want to do, though, is to make sure that their union is free of corruption,” he said.

In a statement to CFMEU members, Mr Irving promised to weed out corruption, organised crime links and “intimidation and menacing conduct in industrial activities”.

Originally published as Labor doubles down on support for CFMEU administration as allied union announces historic split