Big pay increases for Setka’s deputies

At the same time John Setka was pressured to resign, CFMEU officials received pay rises of up to $61,000,

Elias Spernovasilis before entering the meeting as CFMEU workers gather at Festival hall to vote on a new pay deal. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

CFMEU officials working for the John Setka-led construction division received remuneration increases of $49,000 and $61,000 in the same period the militant union leader was under pressure to resign.

Disclosure statements filed with the Registered Organisations Commission show Derek Christopher, the CFMEU’s Victorian construction division senior vice-president received $246,918 in the year last March, a 32 per cent ­increase on the $185,848 he ­declared in the previous 12 months.

Elias Sprenovasilis, the union’s Victorian construction division assistant secretary received $240,994 in the same period, a 26 per cent rise on the $191,315 he declared during the previous year.

The disclosure statements cover a period when Mr Setka ­defied calls by the ACTU to resign, and he pleaded guilty to a charge of breaching a court order and ­another of harassing a woman by text message. His wife, Emma Walters, identified herself as the victim.

The Australian reported on Monday that Mr Setka, the construction division’s Victorian secretary, received $268,104 in the year to last March, a 16 per cent or $38,262 increase on the $229,842 he declared the previous year.

Statements filed to the commission by the union show a range of CFMEU construction division officials declared increased remuneration in year to last March.

NSW construction division secretary Darren Greenfield ­declared $268,238 in annual ­remuneration compared to $240,826 in the previous 12 months, while state branch president Rob Kera recorded remuneration of $229,579 compared to $181,876 in the previous year.

Dave Noonan, the national secretary of the CFMEU’s construction and general division, ­received $279,491 in the 12 months to last March, up from $223,295 in the previous year, a rise of $56,000. His divisional deputy, Nigel Davies, received $245,867, up from $213,404 the previous year, while a second deputy, Andrew Sutherland, who is also the construction division’s South Australian branch secretary, received $250,725, compared to $222,100 in the previous 12 months.

Michael Ravbar, the union’s Queensland construction division secretary, received $249,611 in remuneration compared to $244,107 in the previous 12 months, while state branch president Royce Kupsch declared $242,685 in ­remuneration, up from $233,884.  Rita Mallia, the NSW president of the CFMEU construction division, declared $316,276 for the 12 months to last March.

The union’s disclosure statement said the amount included $86,860 that she received for sitting on various board and committee positions. However, it said the amount was paid to the union and not to Ms Mallia.

During the previous 12 months to March 2019, Ms Mallia declared $326,687 in remuneration, which included $72,959 for board and committee roles, which was paid directly to the union.

Jason O’Mara, the union’s ACT construction division secretary, declared $260,910 in ­remuneration. He also declared non-cash benefits of $37,577 for a security system and $20,938 for a vehicle.

The disclosure statements state the remuneration paid to CFMEU officials includes wages, allowances, superannuation contributions and redundancy fund contributions.

Mr Setka did not respond to ­requests for comment about the increases in remuneration detailed in the disclosure statements. Mr Noonan also did not respond to a request for comment.

The Australian revealed on Monday that the nation’s highest paid union leader, United Firefighters Union secretary Peter Marshall received $470,280 last ­financial year, $51,000 more than the previous 12 months, and well over double the amount paid ­annually to ACTU secretary Sally McManus.

Mr Marshall is paid by the UFU for holding the positions of ­national and Victorian secretary.

It is understood part of the ­reason his remuneration jumped was he was backpaid after not ­initially ­receiving an annual ­increase paid to firefighters under their enterprise agreement.