Embattled CFMMEU boss John Setka digs in as union leadership crisis continues
ACTU secretary Sally McManus told CFMMEU boss John Setka he must resign for the good of the “wider union movement”, but the under-fire chief emerged from the crisis talks defiant saying his members are the ones asking him to continue.
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Beleaguered union boss John Setka has dug in and said he won’t be stepping down from his job amid a storm about alleged comments he made about Rosie Batty.
Leaving the Australian Council of Trades Union headquarters after a crisis meeting, he said he would only take advice from his members.
Mr Setka was locked in a meeting with ACTU secretary Sally McManus, who flew back to Australia this week to deal with the crisis engulfing the CFMMEU Victorian secretary, for 90 minutes.
Ms McManus told Mr Setka he needed to resign for the good of the labour movement.
Ms McManus said she noted that Mr Setka had said he would plead guilty to serious charges of harassing a woman and that he should be aware the longer he clung onto the job the more damage was done to the union movement.
Mr Setka, who has also indicated he will plead guilty to charges of harassing a woman, said he had a full and frank discussion with Ms McManus.
When asked if he would be stepping down from the CFMMEU, Mr Setka said: “Stepping down from what, why would I do that?
“Look, the members are the ones that ask me to continue my position, they are the ones that pay my wages and that’s who I will be taking advice from.”
He left the meeting with key ally Electrical Trades Union Victoria secretary Troy Gray.
Mr Setka has been clinging to power since his lawyers indicated last month that he would plead guilty, he also came under fire this week over alleged comments he made that Rosie Batty’s advocacy work had eroded men’s rights.
Ms McManus said the union’s movement reputation had been damaged by the Setka saga and he needed to think not just about the CFMMEU but all “union members.”
She said the federal government was also using ongoing drama to push through fit and proper person laws for union leaders, which were anti-worker and anti-democratic.
“While John is elected by his members he also needs to consider the interests of working people and the wider union movement.”
“Where an individuals actions cause damage to the whole movement the interests of union members and whole movement needs to come first.”
But as Mr Setka left the ACTU building earlier he said he would not be standing down and it was only his members who he took advice from.
Ms McManus said she hoped he would seriously consider what was put to him and change his position.
“The point I made to John in what was a lengthy meeting is that he needs to think about not just his members but all union members”.
“I’m expecting that John should consider what was put to him and stand down.”
She said the CFMEU national executive was aware of her actions but they had not discussed tactics to blast him out of his position.
Ms McManus said she would give Mr Setka a reasonable amount of time to process what was said in the meeting before any further steps were taken.
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She said she had decided to ask Mr Setka to resign based on a “whole range of factors” and not just one allegation.
It comes after the Herald Sun yesterday uncovered another text tirade by Mr Setka, who confirmed he will plead guilty to using a carriage service to harass a woman.
Police allege that he abused a woman in a stream of 45 text messages sent on one night last October.
One message says: “After what I did for you today you treat me like some … moron you sneaky c---, that’s why all of your memories are going to the tip tomorrow morning, you just triggered a hatred in my heart I didn’t think existed f---en dog.”
The construction union chief — backed by a group of militant unions — yesterday maintained that he would only answer to his members and saw no reason to stand down amid a storm over comments he made about Rosie Batty.
Flanked by his wife Emma Walters, Mr Setka also said comments attributed to him saying that Rosie Batty’s domestic violence advocacy had eroded men’s rights were an “outrageous lie”, peddled by someone seeking “political gain”.