Construction workers set to walk off Big Build jobs on Wednesday in second major CFMEU rally
The state government has put tens of thousands of CFMEU supporters on notice ahead of a planned city rally this week, warning them to “protest peacefully” or suffer the consequences.
Victoria
Don't miss out on the headlines from Victoria. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Construction workers planning to walk off jobs sites on Wednesday are being warned to “protest peacefully” by the state government, as taxpayers will be forced to cough up $30 million for the policing of anti-war protests last week.
Tens of thousands of construction workers are set to down tools on Big Build sites from 11am and gather in Melbourne city — the second time in a month — as part of the protest against the federal government placing the CFMEU into administration.
Unions, including the Electrical Trades Union, the plumbers’ union CEPU, and the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union, have promised again to rally behind the former executive of the CFMEU, and march with up to 85,000 members.
The rally has not been approved by the Fair Work Commission and comes after the Albanese Government put the Victorian CFMEU branch into administration and Premier Jacinta Allan described the union as having a “rotten culture” that had to be uprooted.
It’s understood many workers will attend the rally to support the CFMEU, but also to impress upon governments that they will not stand for their gold-plated EBA agreements to be ripped up.
The pay agreements, that include an annual pay rise of 5 per cent, have not yet come into force and are currently being reviewed by the FWC.
It comes as a report prepared by Geoffrey Watson SC and obtained exclusively by the Herald Sun warned: “The Victorian branch’s EBA process was vulnerable to corruption”.
On Monday, Minister for Government Services Gabrielle Williams urged attendees of the construction rally to be peaceful, after riots seen last week at the Land Forces expo costing taxpayers more than $30m in policing and management.
“While we resect the right of people to protest, we also urge very strongly to make sure they don’t impinge on others’ safety in doing that and make sure they are adhering to the law,” Ms Williams said.
It is understood the Fair Work Commission has not ticked off this week’s protest, meaning it is unprotected action and workers can be docked pay for taking part.
After to the last walk off at the end of August, the FWC and Ombudsman urged employers to dob in any employees that were not given permission to attend the rally.
The Herald Sun has confirmed despite an expected 60,000 workers leaving sites, including projects such as the $14bn Metro Tunnel, $26bn North East Link and multibillion-dollar level-crossing removals, no complaints were made.
A Fair Work Ombudsman spokesperson said “No disputes were raised with the Fair Work Ombudsman in regard to the rallies of 27 August 2024”.
This means either employers gave permission to attend or that “businesses are too scared to complain” one industry source told the Herald Sun.
They added that if any government authorities move to rip up pending EBA’s “there will be hell to pay”.
More Coverage
Victoria’s worst serial rapist to launch ‘sleeping beauty syndrome’ appeal
Xiaodong Frank Hu is serving the longest prison term for sexual offending in Victoria’s history after drugging and raping at least seven women in his Collins St office. He is now preparing a legal appeal, arguing his sentence failed to properly take into account he suffered from a sexual disorder that made him want to sleep with unconscious people.
Proposed bulk-billing shake-up to help more Aussies see GP for free
The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners is pushing for the bulk-billing incentive to be expanded to include a specific age group that was considered the most likely to delay care.