Building unions’ federal election revolt against Labor over CFMEU

A meeting of union officials representing more than 250,000 workers came as industry unions threaten to spend millions of dollars supporting independent candidates against Labor.

CEPU national secretary Michael Wright said there is a “deep rupture across the labour movement”.

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Building industry unions are threatening to spend millions of dollars supporting independent candidates in a federal election protest at Labor’s forced administration of the CFMEU’s construction division after calling a summit to examine setting up a rival union body to the ACTU.

A meeting of 23 union officials claiming to represent more than 250,000 workers on Wednesday voted to hold the Trade Unions for Democracy Summit in Canberra in December to coincide with the High Court hearing a legal challenge to the CFMEU administration.

The summit, which will also coincide with a protest rally in Canberra, will consider proposals to create an alternate democratic union body to the ACTU and future political funding, including supporting union political candidates.

In an exclusive interview with The Australian, Communications, Electrical and Plumbing Union national secretary Michael Wright said there was now a significant split across the labour movement.

“There is a deep rupture across the labour movement and the consequences are likely to be far reaching,” he said.

He said there was considerable anger among the unions and their rank-and-file membership towards the government and the ACTU over the CFMEU administration.

“By taking it out of the courts and putting it into the hands of the parliament and the media, it’s really created a two-tier level of justice where the rest of the country gets the protection of the rule of the law while unions are at the mercy of the political leaders of the day.”

Given the “broad groundswell of support”, the unions said the summit has “evolved to be a meeting that will bring together unionists from across multiple industries and across the country”.

Unions will consider diverting millions of dollars traditionally donated to Labor to independent candidates opposed to the CFMEU takeover.

“The forced administration, driven by Albanese, Murray Watt, and Tony Burke, and supported by the ACTU, has opened the door for a sustained attack on construction workers, such as the proposal by the Master Builders Australia and others to drive down wages in the midst of a cost-of-living crisis,” the statement by the rebel unions said.

Documents obtained by The Australian show CFMEU administrator Mark Irving warned CFMEU officials, organisers and staff that their participation or attendance at the Wednesday meeting would “constitute a serious failure to follow a lawful direction”. The Australian understands some CFMEU officials participated.

In its resolution passed by the meeting, the construction unions condemned Mr Irving for attempting to bar CFMEU officials.

It said officials continued to “share our outrage and condemnation” for the forced administration, declaring the construction division had been denied basic natural justice.

“The administration sets a worrying precedent for all unions. If a government can legislate outcomes for one union, then all unions are at risk.”

The ACTU executive, which was also meeting in Melbourne, passed a motion supporting ACTU secretary Sally McManus and ACTU president Michele O’Neil, over their handling of the CFMEU controversy. The ACTU claims the rebel unions represent about 100,000 workers, or six per cent of the union movement, as the peak union body does not count CFMEU members given it is in administration.

“Throughout the series of events leading to the CFMEU construction division being placed into a period of administration, Sally and Michele have steadfastly represented the shared values and views of our movement while withstanding reprehensible personal attacks and abuse from some quarters,” the resolution said.

“The ACTU executive is strongly committed to a strong, honest and respected trade union movement, that is deeply grounded in our shared values, and we commend the secretary and president for their demonstrated commitment to leading our movement based on these values.”

Meanwhile, government ministers, construction employers and unions, who also met on Wednesday, agreed to work together to develop a building and construction industry blueprint within the next six months to drive real long term change in the sector, including industry culture.