Thousands of union members down tools on Tuesday morning and join a march ‘in solidarity with the CFMEU’ at the State Library

A coalition of unions representing more than 85,000 workers will tell their members to halt work on Victoria’s major infrastructure projects and join in a march.

Thousands of workers of Victoria’s powerful construction unions are being told to down tools on major infrastructure projects in support of the CFMEU after the sacking of 270 staff and concerns that gold-plated pay deals could be rescinded.

The Herald Sun can reveal that the coalition of unions, known as the Building Industry Group of Unions (BIG), representing more than 85,000 Victorian workers will tell their members to halt work at 11am on Tuesday morning and join a march “in solidarity with the CFMEU” at the State Library.

Members of the group include the CFMEU, Australian Manufacturing Workers’ Union, the Electrical Trades Union and the plumbers’ union, which control the major of workers on government sites such as the Metro Rail Tunnel, West Gate Tunnel and level crossing removal projects.

However, the action would be unprotected.

Tuesday’s march is in solidarity with the CFMEU after the sacking of 270 staff. Picture: Aaron Francis

One source who declined to be identified confirmed “it’s happening” and that the unions were angry at the way the CFMEU Victorian branch had been treated.

They denied there was mass bikie infiltration and said unions were gravely concerned about reports that builders were seeking legal ­advice on how they could rip up gold-plated CFMEU pay deals after the Victorian branch was put into ­administration.

This includes the prize deal where members boasted there were “not enough Ford Rangers in the f---ing country” when a 20 per cent pay deal was inked in June.

This is not the first time that the state’s powerful unions have banded together.

The Herald Sun revealed in August 2023 that the same group were threatening to down tools and walk off major government construction sites in Victoria if the Andrews government bans duck hunting.

The push was being led by the powerful sparkies union.

It comes as similar action is being planned across Australia.

Workplace Relations Minister Murray Watt acknowledged that Australians had a right to protest but said the activity on Tuesday “won’t change the fact that the construction division of the CFMEU is now in administration”.

“Construction work is hard, dangerous work, and construction workers deserve a union that is strong and effective but also is clean,” Senator Watt said.

“I think that is in the interest of construction workers and the union movement more generally.”

Senator Watt on Sunday revealed he had no involvement in Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus’s decision to put the construction division into administration in an attempt to prevent any legal challenges.

“I had no conversation or discussions with Mark Dreyfus at all,” Senator Watt said.

“He made that decision independently, and again, that was done in order to ensure that these laws and these decisions stand up in court.”

Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry boss Andrew McKellar said there was an “ingrained culture” in the CFMEU which meant that they were not going to “lie down and go away”.

“That culture has to be broken,” Mr McKellar said.

He said a number of measures, including administration, were needed to clamp down on coercion, standover tactics and alleged criminal conduct in order to get results.

“Clearly, there will be an ongoing battle in this space,” Mr McKellar said.

“But this is the best opportunity in decades to put an end to the corrupt culture that has been rampant across the construction industry in Australia.”