Why John Setka will no longer lead CFMEU

After 12 years at the helm of Victoria’s influential CFMEU, John Setka has revealed he will step down as state leader — but says he’s not retiring.

John Setka won’t renominate to remain state leader of the powerful construction union the CFMEU this year, but says he will not be retiring.

The combative state secretary, who has sparred with prime ministers and industry leaders during 12 years in the job, said the CFMEU was a “pretty tough union” but that the industry was in a “pretty good place” post-Covid.

He said the CFMEU had built a relationship with some big builders which meant they could get what workers wanted without fighting relentlessly to get to the same point.

“Why go through the wall when we can just go around it,” he said.

The firebrand unionist, who has been a building union official for 38 years, said one of the toughest moments was when a wall collapsed at a Grocon building site near to the union’s headquarters in Swanston St, when three pedestrians died.

CFMEU leader John Setka won’t renominate for state secretary role. Picture: Roy VanDerVegt

“We were first on the scene … that never leaves you,” he said.

He said a proud moment of his time as leader was defeating blackmail charges brought by Boral representatives that he said meant negotiations over workplace agreements weren’t threatened.

He said that parting ways with the Labor Party in 2019 was also up there.

“The highlight was actually when I resigned from the ALP,” he said.

Mr Setka had quit the party amid furore over comments he made about the work of family violence campaigner Rosie Batty and men’s rights, and amid pleading guilty to harassing his wife via a carriage service.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who was opposition leader at the time, clashed with Mr Setka, sparking a major crisis in the ALP.

John Setka’s estranged wife, Emma Walters, was found guilty of threatening to kill him in a secretly recorded conversation. Picture: Nicki Connolly

Mr Setka said attacks on him were politically motivated and that he admired Ms Batty, and that although he wouldn’t be having “dinner with Albo” any time soon he was glad he kept his promises to get rid of the national construction industry watchdog the ABCC.

Mr Setka has dominated headlines since he took over as state secretary, shortly after the Emporium dispute that ground Melbourne to a halt and led to millions of dollars in fines against the union.

Most recently his estranged wife, Emma Walters, was found guilty of threatening to kill Mr Setka in a secretly recorded conversation.

Succession planning at the union is now under way, with Mr Setka throwing his weight behind assistant secretary Derek Christopher to take the reins, ahead of a vote of members late this year.

“He’s a young fella, one of the next crew,” he said.

“We’re in a good place, we have got some very good, very smart, very experienced officials.”

Former Rail, Tram and Bus Union boss Luba Grigorovitch, now a state MP, said her former ally was a “true trade unionist who has always been there for the workers and not himself”. “Unlike others, he has never hesitated to fight for the wellbeing of his members and he and the CFMEU have always honoured solidarity with other unions when they’ve needed it in their own struggles,” she said.

“He and the CFMEU can rightly be proud of the many wins they’ve scored across the board for construction industry workers during John’s time at the helm.

“Any talk that John has been pushed out by anyone else is just nonsense. He’s going out at a time of his own choosing as anyone close to the action can tell you.”