The scandal-plagued CFMEU has vowed to fight Commonwealth legislation which sacked the union’s leadership and appointed an administrator, as an estimated 8000-strong protest descended on the heart of Sydney’s CBD to denounce the federal and state Labor governments.
Hours after his lawyers appeared for him in court over allegations of corruption, former CFMEU NSW branch secretary Darren Greenfield delivered a broadside against Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Australian Council of Trade Unions president Michele O’Neil and secretary Sally McManus, calling them traitors who were selling the militant union out.
Macquarie Street in Sydney’s CBD ground to a standstill on Tuesday morning as workers clad in high-vis and brandishing union paraphernalia poured in.
The Commonwealth and state legislation placed the CFMEU into administration after a series of allegations were levelled against the union’s leadership. The protest has been deemed an illegal stop-work action, which could result in fines being issued against workers who walked off the job.
The Building Bad investigation by this masthead, 60 Minutes and The Australian Financial Review aired allegations of corruption, coercion and bikie infiltration in the union.
The NSW branch of the CFMEU was formally placed in administration overnight after the state’s Lieutenant-Governor Andrew Scott Bell gazetted the new laws late on Monday.
CFMEU NSW secretary Darren Greenfield labelled the decision to place the union into administration a “political stitch-up”.Credit: Dominic Lorrimer
In front of a heavy presence of NSW Police officers including members of the riot squad, thousands of union-affiliated tradies and their supporters swarmed into Martin Place, blocking traffic and chanting as they walked from Sussex Street, up Macquarie Street to Parliament House.
Red, green and black union flags flew above the protesters as “union power” chants erupted from the crowd, which swelled to about 8000, according to estimates provided by NSW Police.
When the protest arrived outside Parliament House, Greenfield took the stage alongside union leaders and his son, former CFMEU NSW branch assistant secretary Michael Greenfield.
With a pumped fist, he denounced the “rotten Labor Party” and McManus, calling the decision to place the union into administration a “political stitch-up”.
‘[The Labor Party] are sell-outs to the working class. Both Labor governments should hang their heads in disgrace.’
CFMEU NSW secretary Darren Greenfield
“Do not forget the name Anthony Albanese. Do not forget the name Sally McManus. And every minister in the federal and state Labor governments,” Greenfield said.
“They are sell-outs to the working class. Both Labor governments should hang their heads in disgrace.”
Loud boos and cries of “shame” rung out every time McManus’ name was mentioned. But the majority of the crowd’s invective was saved for the prime minister.
CFMEU member Paul Praturlon, who joined the march with dozens of his co-workers on Elizabeth Street, said the administrator would change the enterprise bargaining agreement and cut their wages.
He said some of the allegations aired in the media were “probably true” but a lot was also made up, and he had never seen such activity at his work site. “There are bad apples everywhere,” he said.
CFMEU member Peter, who declined to provide his last name, said the federal government’s push to place the union into administration would reduce safety and pay on work sites.
Asked his view on the Building Bad series of stories which outlined allegations of impropriety, Peter replied: “There’s corruption in everything”. Much of what was going on was “above his head”, he said.
Protesters gathered outside the Maritime Union of Australia headquarters on Sussex Street, carrying “I stand with the CFMEU” signs and flags. “Touch one, touch all” they cried in call and response.
Speaking as he walked, a Maritime Union of Australia member said that if the CFMEU was put into administration, other unions might be next. But asked about the substance of the allegations against the CFMEU, he chose not to comment.
The Minns government introduced a bill to parliament appointing an administrator for the scandal-plagued construction and general division of the CFMEU earlier this month.
Speaking on 2GB, Minns said the action taken on Tuesday was unprotected and would not change the government’s position.
“The truth is we needed to take this action … I understand the unprotected industrial action today was brought about because the union leadership was sacked by the new leader of the CFMEU, but there was no alternative in this state,” Minns said.
NSW Industrial Relations Minister Sophie Cotsis.Credit: Kate Geraghty
A flyer distributed at Tuesday’s rally described the administration decision as “the most appalling act of union busting since Labor deregistered the BLF in 1986”.
The flyer warned organisers were likely to be sacked, and also slammed the ACTU for backing Albanese, saying McManus has turned her back on the union.
“The takeover of the union has nothing to do with bikies in the union or unproven allegations of corruption,” it read. “Labor and the building bosses want to smash union militancy.”
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