Battle looms between Labor Party and unions over John Setka

A push to expel controversial union boss John Setka from the Labor Party could trigger a schism in the party, as opposition leader Anthony Albanese promises Setka will be “gone by July 5”.

A war between big militant unions and the Labor Party will erupt in the coming weeks over the move to expel union boss John Setka from the party.

Mr Setka will be booted from the Labor Party, but keep control over party delegates as he refuses to stand aside as Victorian boss of the Construction Forestry Maritime Mining And Energy Union.

Labor leader Anthony Albanese is standing by his call for Mr Setka to be expelled from the party, after the controversial union leader was convicted of harassing his wife.

The Herald Sun believes Mr Albanese will have the numbers to expel Mr Setka’s Labor membership at a meeting of the party’s national executive next Friday.

But the decision could not be unanimous and some senior Labor members are expected to speak against the move to kick him out of the party.

John Setka and Emma Walters pictured in Melbourne after Mr Setka pleaded guilty to harassing his wife. Picture: Mark Stewart

While the Australian, Council of Trades Union is continuing to call on Mr Setka to stand down from his position, Mr Setka still has the support of large sections of the union movement in Victoria.

These include other unions which are part of the Industrial Left including the Rail, Tram and Bus Union and the Electrical Trades Union.

Mr Albanese guaranteed the controversial CFMMEU boss “will be gone by July 5”.

He said the union leader would have an opportunity to make his case but it was an “open and shut” case, pointing to the more than 40 text messages he sent his wife.

“The nature of those messages clearly does constitute harassment, which is why he pleaded guilty,” he told 3AW.

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Mr Setka’s wife Emma Walters said the Labor leader was using her husband as a “scapegoat”.

“It has diverted from the election loss,” she told the Herald Sun.

“He is using it because he wants to move the Labor Party more to the centre to be more like the Liberal party. And I think he thinks that getting rid of the bad boy John Setka sends a strong message that he’s the leader. I don’t think the real reasons he is doing this are valid reasons.”

She also hit out at ACTU president Michele O’Neil and secretary Sally McManus for their intervention, saying she was “very disappointed” by their handling of the matter.

A spokesman for the ACTU said: We have made our position clear on this matter...

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