CFMEU moves to clean out Victorian branch
The CFMEU has moved to purge the ranks of its most notorious branch, with up to 10 Victorian staff, mostly organisers, taking redundancies.
The CFMEU has moved to purge the ranks of its most notorious branch, with up to 10 Victorian staff, mostly organisers, taking redundancies, and more job cuts expected shortly.
Union sources on Monday revealed the extent of the cuts, which followed the decision by the Victorian secretary and former national boss, Zach Smith, to make voluntary redundancy packages available for a short time. Source said up to 10 staff had agreed – some reluctantly – to take a package, as the CFMEU administrator, Mark Irving KC, moved to clean out the branch of figures associated with former state secretary John Setka.
Police last week charged Mr Setka with seven counts of using a telecom communications device to menace, harass and offend, alleging he sent threatening emails to Mr Irving following demands he produce documents in relation to one of the administrator’s probes.
Senior Construction Forestry and Maritime Employees Union official Steve Long resigned from the union last week amid reported corruption and conflict-of-interest allegations that he has denied. His departure follows last month’s sackings of veteran CFMEU organiser John Perkovic for allegedly taking bribes and secret benefits from employers, and Steven Deer, the head of the union’s training arm, who has been charged by police with falsifying invoices.
Mr Smith last week announced voluntary redundancies and potential sackings. By taking redundancy, the organisers are able to seek work at another union rather than face the prospect of being a removed person and having their employment restricted. Sources said on Monday that more cuts were expected from the branch.
Mr Irving is scheduled to give evidence this week at the Wood inquiry into the CFMEU’s conduct in Queensland.
After Mr Setka resigned last year amid allegations the union had been infiltrated by organised crime figures and outlaw bikies, the Albanese government put the union’s construction division into administration.
Detectives from Taskforce Hawk charged Mr Setka as part of a probe into allegedly threatening and harassing emails sent to Mr Irving. Investigators will allege Mr Setka sent the emails in response to the administrator’s notice to produce material, and a follow-up letter a day later.
Sources said the demands to Mr Setka related to Mr Irving’s probe into a so-called union “slush” fund known as the Building Industry 2000 fund.
The union’s former NSW secretary, Darren Greenfield, and his son Michael, a former assistant secretary, will learn on Friday whether they will be imprisoned for corruption.
A Sydney court heard last week the older Greenfield had accepted four cash payments totalling $20,000, while his son had accepted two payments totalling $10,000, from a gyprocking company looking for preferential treatment from the union.
Darren Greenfield’s lawyer told the court that his client had given “many, many years” to the union movement, and “he gave in to temptation” in relation to the payments.
The sentencing comes after the pair in April admitted to receiving six $5000 payments from a plasterboard company.
Greenfield Sr pleaded guilty to two charges of receiving corrupting benefits and two charges of receiving cash or payment in kind from an employer.
His son pleaded guilty to a charge each of accepting a corrupting benefit and receiving cash or payment in kind.
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