Miners vote to split from CFMEU

Members of the CFMEU’s mining and energy division have voted to split from the union, claiming ‘they no longer feel at home’.

Tony Maher, General President of the CFMEU

Members of the CFMEU’s mining and energy division have voted overwhelmingly to split from the union.

Ballot results submitted to the Fair Work Commission on Thursday show 11,501 members – 53 per cent of those eligible – voted in the secret ballot and 10,975 were in favour of forming the separate Mining and Energy Union.

Just 197 members voted to stay in the CFMEU, while there were 329 informal votes.

Former national secretary Michael O’Connor, who remains head of the manufacturing division, has launched Federal Court action to bring on a vote of the manufacturing division to also split from the union. A hearing has been scheduled for August

The mining and energy division’s general president, Tony Maher, said the result confirmed the will of members to pursue a future independent of the CFMEU.

“We pursued this path because members told us they no longer felt at home in the CFMEU,” Mr Maher said.

“Our members want a union that focuses on the considerable needs and challenges of mining and energy workers, while also working constructively and collaboratively within the broader trade union movement.

“We will continue to work through the process ahead of us knowing that we have the overwhelming support of our membership.”

CFMEU construction division national secretary Zach Smith said the workers “will be worse off without the collective strength of the CFMEU”.

“We reached an agreement with the MEU to allow this ballot. We respect the decision of members through a democratic process, but it’s clear members were only given one side of the story,” he said.

“It’s disappointing the MEU leadership decided on going down this path after our strong and united union delivered excellent outcomes for members across divisions.”

The mining and energy division will apply to the Federal Court seeking orders to fix a withdrawal date. The Federal Court application may be made after 30 days from the declaration of ballot results.

Meanwhile, in a speech on Friday, Australian Industry Group chief executive Innes Willox will warn of the consequences of the government’s industrial relations agenda.

“Nobody wants conflict to spread like a contagion across our workplaces. Nobody wants businesses to close, investments to be directed elsewhere, workers to lose jobs and opportunities, productivity to stagnate. But that’s what we face,” he said.

“We are still talking and working with the government in good faith as our members ask us to do. We hope … consultations help us all find a sensible path forward. We hope common sense … prevails. The jury, though, is still out.”