CFMEU boss Michael O’Connor stares down quit calls as war erupts

CFMEU national secretary Michael O’Connor is refusing to quit after the union’s national executive passed a new no-­confidence motion against him.

CFMEU national secretary Michael O’Connor. Picture: David Geraghty

CFMEU national secretary Michael O’Connor is refusing to quit after the union’s national executive passed a new no-­confidence motion against him, imposed controls on his office and tried to dump him from the ACTU executive.

In an escalation of bitter divisions within the country’s most militant union, the CFMEU’s construction and maritime divisions used their numbers on the national executive to pass motions designed to force him out.

But Mr O’Connor, a significant figure within the ALP and brother of Labor frontbencher Brendan O’Connor, told the meeting held via Zoom that he would not be resigning.

Opponents of Mr O’Connor, who has two years to run on his term, want him dumped in favour of maritime official Chris Cain.

The no-confidence motion passed on Tuesday follows a similar motion passed in May which cemented the split between supporters of Mr O’Connor and the union’s Victorian construction division secretary, John Setka.

The motion, which explicitly called on Mr O’Connor to resign immediately, was opposed by the mining and energy and manufacturing divisions.

The national executive passed a series of resolutions ­designed to restrict Mr O’Connor’s ability to operate as national secretary.

He will be required to seek the consent of the national executive before signing any cheque dispersing national office funds, with the exception of the payment of staff wages and entitlements, and spending previously approved by the executive.

He was also directed to not employ further staff or contractors without the national executive’s consent, and provide a written report detailing investments by the national office.

The resolution said the directions were designed to promote the “good governance” of the union by ensuring the efficient use of the resources of the national office.

Mr O’Connor’s opponents also sought to have him removed from the ACTU executive and replaced by Mr Cain.

Sources said they postponed the move after Mr O’Connor said he held the ACTU executive position due to a vote of the ACTU Congress and they could not overrule it.

Sources also questioned the ability to install Mr Cain. CFMEU rules state that only the leaders of the union’s divisions — Mr O’Connor, Dave Noonan, Tony Maher and Paddy Crumlin — were eligible to be national secretary.

The formal split of the union had implications for the ALP and the ACTU. Fourteen union leaders last year backed a call by ACTU secretary, Sally McManus, for Mr Setka to resign.

Supporters of Mr O’Connor have said the no-confidence motions are “revenge” by Mr Setka who has fallen out with Mr O’Connor and remains angry that he did not publicly support him after Mr Setka was charged with harassing his wife and the ALP moved to expel him.

CFMEU officials did not respond to requests for comment.