Militants unionists in attacks on ex-boss

Aaron Cartledge has been labelled a traitor, a liar and a tosser who “dines with Master Builders Association dogs”.

Former SA secretary of the CFMEU Aaron Cartledge. Picture: Roy VanDerVegt.

The ousted union boss who blew the whistle on the Victorian CFMEU’s takeover of the SA branch has been subjected to sustained personal attacks by the union and its militant backers since going public with his story.

Former SA secretary of the Construction Forestry Maritime Mining and Energy Union Aaron Cartledge has been labelled on social media as a traitor, a liar and a tosser who “dines with Master Builders Association dogs” after the union’s national leadership issued a highly personal statement denouncing his performance in his former role.

“His comments attacking individual members of the union are self-serving and inaccurate,” nat­ional CFMEU secretary Dave Noonan said in response to Mr Cartledge’s exclusive interview in The Australian last week.

“These comments are sour grapes from a former official who was unfortunately unable to perform to a satisfactory standard in what is admittedly a difficult and stressful role.

“They are clearly intended to damage the union, and to assist the anti-union agenda of the Morrison government.”

CFMEU secretary Dave Noonan says Aaron Cartledge’s comments amount to “sour grapes’’. Picture: Kelly Barnes

That statement has been picked up and circulated by CFMEU hardliners across social media. “This is a real account of why Aaron Cartledge resigned from his role, basically because he was inept,” CFMEU supporter Lita Gillies posted on Twitter with a link to the Noonan statement.

In reply to that tweet, CFMEU member Esther van Arend attacked Mr Cartledge, who was photographed in The Australian last week with his old Eureka flag draped around his neck.

“He can get that fkn flag off from around his neck, the tosser,” she wrote. “Master Builders Association colluding with his story is indicative of his pathetic time as secretary. Giving away hard-fought conditions at the same time dining with MBA dogs. He’s too stupid to be embarrassed.”

For all its criticisms of Mr Cartledge’s performance, the CFMEU failed to mention that he remained highly popular with most SA members, even after the Victorian branch tried to oust him with a John Setka-backed candidate at the 2016 CFMEU state elections.

He was challenged by Jack Merkx, whose campaign was run from Melbourne by former Electrical Trades Union secretary Dean Mighell, who embarrassed then Labor leader Kevin Rudd before the 2007 election when footage emerged of him calling Australian Building and Construction Commission inspectors “dick smokers” you “wouldn’t want near your children”. Despite the challenge, Mr Cart­ledge won 75 per cent of the vote to be returned as secretary, only to be forced aside after Mr Setka labelled the branch “weak c..ts” who “deserve a good f..king” for failing to strike enough, hold enough pickets or demand higher wages.

Mr Cartledge was “not surprised at all” by the abuse he had faced since last week but was heartened that “many good current and former unionists have contacted me saying they agree 100 per cent with my criticisms”.

“Instead of attacking me, the CFMEU should be looking into why there are now more non-union agreements in construction in SA than at any other time in the state’s history,” he said.

The Australian sought comment from the national office of the CFMEU but it did not respond.