John Setka musters numbers to strike for CFMEU leadership

Internal CFMEU opponents of Victorian leader John Setka fear he is driving a push to try to force out national secretary Michael O’Connor.

CFMEU Victorian secretary John Setka. Picture: AAP

The CFMEU is in turmoil with internal opponents of Victorian leader John Setka fearing he is driving a push to try to force out national secretary Michael O’Connor.

Multiple sources said on Monday that Mr Setka’s supporters were backing maritime division official Chris Cain to become national secretary, despite current Construction Forestry Maritime Mining and Energy Union rules preventing him from standing.

Sources also revealed a planned bid by the construction division on Thursday to consolidate its power by restructuring the national executive could be subject to legal challenge.

The Australian revealed on Monday that the construction and general division intended to move on Thursday to slash the number of officials on the union’s national executive to 16, with the majority to be officials from the construction branch.

The meeting, which will be conducted via Zoom because of the coronavirus, will also consider the “future of the union”, sparking speculation Mr Setka’s backers would launch more ­attacks on Mr O’Connor.

Mr Setka’s opponents said they feared his supporters could seek to push a no-confidence motion in Mr O’Connor.

Sources said Mr Cain had emerged as a potential successor, although current rules mean he is ineligible to take on the role of national secretary.

The manufacturing and mining and energy divisions are expected to oppose the construction division’s bid to slash the numbers on the national executive.

The national executive will also consider a complaint made by manufacturing division president Denise Campbell-Burns about enterprise agreements struck by Mr Setka’s division.

Mr O’Connor took legal ­action against Mr Setka for ­allegedly poaching members from the manufacturing division but lost, leaving the way open for his rival to keep recruiting.

In a letter, obtained by The Australian, Ms Campbell-Burns said it was “very concerning” that the agreements incorporated sick leave and annual leave into the base rate of pay.

“This means that when workers take their four weeks of annual leave and 10 days of sick leave each year, they are unpaid during that six-week period,” Ms Campbell-Burns wrote.

“Such an approach is in­consistent with union ideals and objectives and is, in effect, turning permanent workers into ­casuals which also don’t get paid leave.”

She said the agreements also left behind workers not employed on big construction projects.

Mr Setka’s branch denies undercutting workers’ conditions and says dissatisfied manufacturing division members left to join the construction division to get better pay, conditions and service from union officials.

CFMEU officials declined to comment.