CFMEU officials of threats, abuse, despite promise they would stop recruiting council workers

Officials at the militant CFMEU have been accused of threatening local government workers in the latest saga for the troubled union.

Officials at the militant CFMEU have been accused of threatening local government workers despite the union’s national boss promising to abandon a council takeover.

The Herald Sun revealed earlier this year that the construction union was recruiting blue collar workers at council depots, with former state secretary John Setka declaring there would be a flood of new members.

Since then, the scandal-plagued union was put into administration by its national executive, due to revelations about kickbacks and ties to organised crime, and Mr Setka resigned.

The Australian Services Union, which has traditionally represented council workers, said it had received a “commitment” from the CFMEU national secretary Zach Smith – who is currently in charge of the Victorian branch – that councils now would be left alone.

CFMEU National Secretary Zach Smith in Canberra last year. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

It is understood officials who had been pushing into councils have been redirected, while the union’s attempts to join workplace agreement negotiations at Geelong and Mitchell Shire were withdrawn.

But a letter from ASU state secretary Tash Wark to Mr Smith reveals CFMEU delegates at some council depots have continued to attend bargaining meetings and have verbally abused ASU delegates.

At one depot, physical threats were allegedly made.

Ms Wark said the behaviour was disturbing and the CFMEU “must withdraw from the local government and water sectors immediately”.

“Violent and aggressive behaviour at local government worksites is completely unacceptable and it’s time for the CFMEU to honour its commitments to leave the local government and water sectors where they have no place.”

Tash Wark, secretary of the Australian Services Union's Victorian and Tasmanian branch.

It can be revealed that the CFMEU recruited about 350 workers across dozens of council areas over the past few years.

Some of these were former members of the Municipal and Utilities Workers Union, which was established to represent blue collar workers before joining forces with the CFMEU. 

Ms Wark said in a sector with more than 50,000 workers, a claim by Mr Setka of a worker exodus from the ASU “has now been revealed as a fantasy”.

“The CFMEU has no justifiable jurisdiction or historical involvement in the local government and water sector, and it must halt its organising efforts and withdraw immediately, as was agreed to by the new union leadership,” she said.
The CFMEU declined to comment.