CFMEU to fight takeover battle on the streets

The CFMEU will stage rallies opposing the Albanese government’s dramatic takeover of the union’s militant construction division, with the union’s former head vowing the ALP would suffer a worker backlash at the federal election.

A CFMEU member at the union’s Brisbane headquarters on Friday.

The CFMEU will stage rallies ­opposing the Albanese government’s dramatic takeover of the union’s militant construction division, after sacked officials accused Labor of “disgusting, unAustralian” conduct and the union’s former head vowed the ALP would suffer a worker backlash at the federal election.

NSW secretary Darren Greenfield, Queensland secretary ­Michael Ravbar, Victorian deputy Derek Christopher were among 12 senior CFMEU officials abruptly sacked on Friday, as the government moved sooner than expected, fearing the union would take court action to temporarily block the appointment of administrator Mark Irving.

In a letter to CFMEU staff, seen by The Weekend Australian, Mr Irving vowed to root out the criminal elements that had infiltrated the union and the industry, while praising the union’s record representing workers. He revealed that the union’s national secretary, Zach Smith, would remain in his job, ­although he will be ultimately answerable to Mr Irving, prompting opposition questions about how the culture of the union can be changed while Mr Smith stayed on.

Mr Irving, a barrister with decades of experience in labour law, said he had represented almost every major union over the course of his career, been a member of the Australian Services Union for over 30 years and was a former national union legal officer.

He said the “CFMEU’s record of successful struggle to keep workers safe is unequalled in Australia, and you are justly proud of the union’s history of protecting and improving wages and conditions”. “The most important task facing me is ensuring the union continues keeping workplaces safe and protecting wages and conditions,” he said.

But he said the coming period would not be easy “because it is also my job to ensure that the criminal elements that have infiltrated some parts of the union and the industry be rooted out”. “This includes addressing fraud, corruption, organised crime and outlaw motorcycle groups in the industry.,” he said. “To do this, I also need to send a clear message that the behaviours and structures that supported corrupt elements and kept people silent about these elements will not be tolerated.”

While 270 officers have had their positions vacated, Mr Irving, in a statement late on Friday, said most of those were voluntary positions, and organisers, delegates and staff would continue to serve members.

Within seven days, terminated officials must return all CFMEU property, including cars, credit cards, building/security passes, mobile phones and laptops.

He said the union would not engage in party politics during the administration and would not make donations to any party, seek to exercise any influence through representations at political conferences, or promote any candidates of any faction or party.

In a joint statement, Mr Greenfield, state assistant secretary Rob Kera and state branch president Rita Mallia said they were “shocked and appalled” to learn about the sacking of officials through the media, rather than from the government or Mr Irving.

“This entire farce was born through a baseless media and government stitch-up. The lack of due process and basic democratic rights from the government is disgusting and simply unAustralian.”

Protest rallies have been scheduled for the ACT and Western Australia, with officials stating the protests could grow into a national day of action.

Former CFMEU national secretary Christy Cain said every worker should be horrified by the Labor’s anti-union legislation. “Thatcher would not have tried this”, he said, adding most Labor politicians “will be judged by the workers next time around”.

Anthony Albanese said the government was determined “to clean up the industry”. “We know that trade unionists do a great job when they’re looking after the wages and conditions of their members, but there’s no place for corruption or intimidation,” he said.

“There’s no place for corruption and to have a corrupt union official, you need a corrupt employer to be paying their money, and there’s no place for it.”

Opposition employment spokeswoman Michaelia Cash demanded the government explain why Mr Smith did not have his position terminated.