ETU chief weighs in on Setka dispute with AFL

ETU Victorian secretary Troy Gray has criticised the AFL’s decision to appoint Stephen McBurney but says ‘it should be AFL members who decide who their leaders are’.

ETU Victorian secretary Troy Gray won’t call for the sacking of AFL umpiring boss Stephen McBurney Picture: NewsWire / Nicki Connolly

Electrical Trades Union Victorian secretary Troy Gray has criticised the AFL’s decision to appoint former building watchdog Stephen McBurney but has refused to demand the league sack him as head of umpiring.

In the union’s first public comments since CFMEU leader John Setka threatened a work-to-rule campaign against the league unless it dumped Mr McBurney, Mr Gray said the union would seek a meeting with the AFL when its next project started in Victoria to discuss union members’ concerns about the appointment.

But Mr Gray, who returned from leave on Monday, told The Australian that “it should be AFL members who decide who their leaders are, the same as unions”.

“I wouldn’t personally be seeking his removal. But it will be 100 per cent a hot topic on the next AFL project built in Victoria.

“Construction workers won’t forgive, they won’t forget. They have very long memories and they will be asking the question of the union and wanting a meeting when these projects start.”

He said the AFL should “stick by its working-class roots and supporter base and not reward an individual who led an anti-worker political witch hunt with a very lucrative public job”.

“Union members elect union leaders; we don’t run the AFL or pick the board,” he said.

“Still, in this case, Mr McBurney’s conduct, and track record should be considered, and the AFL should seriously consider whether this reputational baggage is something they want to bring to the game.”

The AFL has backed Mr McBurney staying in the job, while the government and the ACTU have condemned Mr Setka’s threat to run a campaign against the AFL unless it sacked the former Australian Building and Construction Commissioner.

Mr Gray backed the decision by the Albanese government to abolish the “biased and ideological” ABCC.

“Mr McBurney led the ABCC, which persecuted and intimidated construction workers for over a decade, many of whom were just fighting for decent working conditions or better on-site safety, ­including campaigning for amenities for women,” he said.

“They even tried litigating workers for wearing union stickers or flying a union flag. Ridiculous. Under the ABCC’s watch and Mr McBurney’s reign, construction unions were fined millions of dollars. This angers many thousands of construction workers, and it will not be forgotten.”

Mr Gray said “I can say, for sure, after representing ETU members for 30-plus years, the first AFL project that goes ahead, there will be a demand for a meeting and a discussion about this”.

“Now whether that results in a campaign, or where it goes, our members will decide that,” he said.

“They have got very long memories and they will be asking the question of the union and wanting a meeting when these projects start. So the AFL has a decision to make. But, as an individual, a bit like I wouldn’t call for a union secretary’s resignation, I wouldn’t call for (McBurney’s) resignation. That’s in the hands of the AFL members and their ­decision ­makers.”

The Victorian secretary of the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union, Tony Mavromatis has publicly backed Mr Setka’s threat to wage a work-to-rule campaign on AFL projects and the need for the league to remove Mr McBurney.

But ACTU secretary Sally McManus has accused Mr Setka of waging a personal vendetta, and has backed government laws that would allow members of the CFMEU’s manufacturing division to vote to split from the broader union.

The national leaders of the powerful female-dominated teachers and nurses unions have also condemned Mr Setka’s conduct, saying his behaviour has no place in the union movement.