Labor to back CFMEU break-up

Federal Labor is likely to back the government’s bill to break up the CFMEU, clearing the way for the demerger proposal to be passed by parliament this week.

Labor industrial relations spokesman Tony Burke. Picture: AAP

Federal Labor is likely to back the government’s bill to break up the CFMEU, clearing the way for the Coalition to get the union demerger proposal passed by parliament this week.

Sources said the ALP shadow cabinet agreed in principle on Monday night to support the bill which, if passed, is expected to lead to the union’s mining and energy division, as well as its manufacturing division, splitting from the CFMEU after a falling out with construction and maritime officials.

The ALP move came after construction division national secretary Dave Noonan had urged Labor and the ACTU to oppose the bill.

While Mr Noonan defended the union’s Victorian secretary, John Setka, mining and energy division secretary Tony Maher stepped up his attacks on the construction division, accusing it of “hostile number-crunching” and being driven by self-interest.

Union sources said an ACTU-organised meeting of union leaders held on Monday did not explicitly oppose the bill but agreed to seek copies of the proposed legislation.

Labor industrial relations spokesman Tony Burke had earlier left open the prospect of the ALP supporting the bill. “If it’s something that’s simply recognising and trying to find a way through in certain situations to recognise the democratic rights of members within a division then that might be something where there’s a more constructive way forward,” he said.

The bill will go to the ALP caucus on Tuesday and the government will seek to get it passed this week.

But Mr Noonan said the proposed laws would have a “disruptive effect” on the entire union movement. Speaking about Mr Setka, he told the ABC “no one’s perfect” and that he had had “plenty of ­arguments with him”. “But that’s the nature of a democratic ­organisation,” he said.

Mr Maher has signalled his members will consider splitting from the “dysfunctional union”, and holding talks with Mr Porter about the proposed laws to allow the break-up of the union.

The union’s former national secretary, Michael O’Connor, also flagged the manufacturing division would examine leaving the union.

In a message to mining and energy division members on Monday, Mr Maher said the purpose of being part of an amalgamated union should be to give workers more power.

“It should provide solidarity and strength in numbers to achieve better outcomes for members. Since amalgamation, our division has been committed to this vision, through many ups and downs,” he said.

“However, over the past couple of years solidarity has been replaced by self-interest and strength in numbers has been ­replaced by hostile number-crunching. The construction division has made it clear that they will use their numbers to steamroll smaller divisions, force decisions in their favour and run the CFMEU as a construction union.”