Setka’s right-hand man Shaun Reardon resigns

John Setka’s deputy, Shaun Reardon, has quit, citing his “personal values” and “irreconcilable differences”.

John Setka with Shaun Reardon. Picture: Twitter.

John Setka’s deputy, Shaun Reardon, has quit, citing his “personal values” and “irreconcilable differences” with the embattled Victorian CFMEU secretary.

Sources said Mr Reardon had not been at work at the CFMEU for weeks after a major falling out with Mr Setka, who intends to plead guilty next week in court over harassment charges.

He said “due to irreconcilable differences between myself and Victorian CFMEU state secretary John Setka it is with a heavy heart I hereby give my resignation to the branch”.

Mr Reardon denied he had been pressured or encouraged in any way to resign.

“Quite the opposite. It is purely a decision made with my family based on personal values I live and die by,’’ he said.

Shaun Reardon. Picture: Stuart McEvoy

“To the staff members, officials and members who have been relying on my membership I sincerely apologise but commit to stay true to you all. The fact is it is untenable for our executive if we can’t work in unison on certain issues I value.”

Mr Setka, who refused to comment yesterday, and Mr Reardon displayed public unity last year after prosecutors dropped blackmail charges against them, but sources said their relationship had become unworkable as the controversy enveloping Mr Setka escalated in recent weeks.

“The whole branch has been in turmoil,’’ one senior union source said.

Supporters of Mr Setka accuse Mr Reardon of failing to adequately support his boss as he ­resists demands to resign over the harassment charges.

Tensions escalated when comments made by Mr Setka to the union national executive about anti-domestic violence campaigner Rosie Batty, as well as documents detailing text messages Mr Setka sent to a woman, were leaked to the media.

The CFMEU branch has been conducting an audit of the phone records of all officials.

Mr Reardon had previously been responsible for the branch’s political operations and the union’s main point of contact with Victoria’s Andrews Labor government.

However, after they fell out and Mr Setka returned from a period of leave taken to deal with the court issues, Mr Reardon no longer had that position. Mr Setka had moved to take charge of the union’s political operations.

The CFMEU’s national construction division has declared its “full support” for Mr Setka, defying calls by ACTU secretary Sally McManus and 13 national unions for him to resign. Ms McManus declined to comment yesterday.

White Ribbon Australia chief executive Delia Donovan, who last week called on Mr Setka to quit over his reported comments about Ms Batty, released an updated statement yesterday.

“There is absolutely no room in our society to spread abusive, hateful and disrespectful remarks about anyone, and to use the position as a leader of an organisation to promote disrespect of a woman is completely unacceptable,’’ she said.

She said organisations, corporations and unions must have a culture that does not condone ­behaviour or language that disrespects, denigrates or incites abuse of women.

“Behaviour like this has no place in Australian leadership, or anywhere else,” she said.