Thousands of union members walk off Melbourne’s construction sites to join CFMEU rally

Thousands of union members have downed tools on Melbourne’s construction sites to join a protest against the Albanese government’s move to put the CFMEU into administration.

• Albanese depicted as Hitler at CFMEU rally

Thousands of union members walked off the job on Melbourne’s construction sites to protest the Albanese government’s decision to place the CFMEU into administration amid allegations of links to organised crime.

The intersection of Lygon and Victoria streets outside Trades Hall was overrun with construction workers from 10am, with hundreds more streaming through the CBD to join in.

Thousands more unionists downed tools to join rallies in Sydney and Brisbane.

Organisers say the rally was unprecedented in size. Picture: Diego Fedele

Union members flood to the rally from construction sites across the city. Picture: Diego Fedele

The march stops outside the Fair Work Commission. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

Protesters take over Melbourne streets. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

A union organiser standing on a hire truck riled up the crowd through a megaphone.

“This is the biggest construction rally I’ve seen,” he said, to the sound of rapturous applause.

“We are taking over the whole country,” one worker shouted.

The crowd erupted when former CFMEU Victoria president Ralph Edwards took to the microphone.

“My name is Ralph Edwards, and I plead guilty to being a member of the building industry for nearly 55 years,” Mr Edwards said.

Shortly after 11am the protesters began a march through the CBD, stopping outside the Fair Work Commission on Exhibition St.

A heavy police presence surrounded the crowds as they moved through the city, leaving cans of beer and packets of cigarettes littering the footpaths.

Unionists march down Russell St. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

Blocked-off roads outside Trades Hall. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

Members march from Trades Hall through the city. Picture: Diego Fedele

A small band of pro-Palestinian supporters also joined the march, beating drums and blasting chants.

Specialist police filmed protesters through windows of the Fair Work Commission building, with the crowds eventually dispersing shortly after midday.

Pubs around the city became packed with workers in CFMEU gear.

Many pubs along Exhibition and Russell streets were full to the brim with workers in high-vis shirts and vests.

Rumours were circulating through the protest action that the rallies would continue over 72 hours.

However, sources within the Victorian union senior ranks said it was “absolutely not true”.

They added the rally was in support for the CFMEU but it was “back to work” tomorrow in Victoria.

The union claims 60,000 union members took part in the protest.

Speakers rally crowds outside Trades Hall. Picture: Diego Fedele

The union claims 60,000 union members joined the rally. Picture: Diego Fedele

As the rallies unfolded during the day, the Fair Work Ombudsman encouraged bosses to take action and report employees.

A spokesperson said employers were “encouraged to notify the Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO) of any potential unlawful industrial action at their workplace”.

“As part of the FWO’s functions under the Fair Work Act (the Act), the FWO monitors and investigates potential non-compliance with Commonwealth workplace laws. This includes allegations of engaging in or organising unprotected industrial action in breach of section 417 of the Act.

“Unlawful industrial action can involve conduct by an employee, employee organisation and/or an officer of an organisation, or an employer.

“Conduct that may be unprotected industrial action in contravention of the Act includes if an employee fails to attend for work or stops work without authorisation from their employer.”

Women CFMEU members led the march through the city. Picture: Getty

‘Biggest union crowd in 30 years’

ETU state secretary Troy Gray told the Herald Sun an email from the Victorian Ombudsman overnight indicated four hours of work would be deducted from anyone who protested on Tuesday.

“That means, effectively, if they go back to work now … they don’t get paid,” he said.

“I’ve known many thousands of construction workers, and they’re not going to work for nothing.”

He quipped pub owners would benefit greatly from Tuesday’s action.

“They’ll do all right out of this,” he said.

In his 30-years of experience as a building industry representative, Mr Gray said he had never seen the numbers seen at the rally this morning.

“This is the biggest building union crowd that we’ve had in 30 years, it’s massive,” he said.

“Make no mistake, these sort of numbers get politicians very, very nervous, and that’s the message we get through to them today.”

Anthony Albanese dismissed the union’s criticism, saying it was ‘business as usual from the CFMEU’. Picture: Getty

One protester with a message for the prime minister. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

Albanese warns of ‘consequences’ for strike action

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese warned earlier on Tuesday there would be “consequences” if workers walked off the job as part of nationwide protests.

Speaking to reporters from the Western Sydney Airport construction site, Mr Albanese defended his government’s action on the CFMEU as being “in the interests of all trade unionists”.

“We respect the work that construction workers do,” he said.

Pressed on whether forcing the CFMEU into administration cut back the ability of workers to unionise, Mr Albanese said the goal was “proper trade unionism”.

“You need to have unions in the building industry, it’s a dangerous industry,” he said.

“But what we want to do is to make sure that they have a union that’s worthy of the incredible work that construction workers do.”

Mr Albanese said “if there is unprotected industrial action, then there are consequences for that”.