Unionists turn up heat on Palaszczuk with protest

Hundreds of unionists accusing Queensland’s Labor government of ‘putting blue collar workers last’ will protest outside Annastacia Palaszczuk’s office on Thursday.

Union officials and members of the CFMEU protest outside the Queensland Premier’s office in Brisbane in early August. Picture David Clark

Hundreds of unionists accusing Queensland’s Labor government of “putting blue collar workers last” will protest outside Annastacia Palaszczuk’s office on Thursday as a rift with the CFMEU deepens.

Thursday’s rally will follow a protest last week when Construction Forestry Maritime Mining and Energy Union members knocked down a security guard and abused public servants after forcibly entering the Transport and Main Roads building in Brisbane’s CBD.

Police are still investigating the protest, which the Premier condemned as “disgraceful” in parliament on Wednesday.

She stopped short of following South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas, who in August told Labor to ­return a $125,000 donation from the union after a spate of vandalism at the Master Builders Ass­ociation headquarters.

Queensland’s LNP grilled Ms Palaszczuk during question time on Wednesday about CFMEU donations to the ALP, which have totalled $90,000 this year.

Ms Palaszczuk said she would await the outcome of the police investigation before deciding whether to sever financial ties with the CFMEU.

It came as about 200 workers from the CFMEU, Electrical Trades Union and Plumbers Union are expected to rally on Thursday over stalled EBA negotiations. CFMEU assistant state secretary Kane Lowth said agreements were 11 to 13 months late last time they were negotiated. “In the current economic environment, people cannot wait another 12 months while the cost of living soars,” he said.

“These are not highly paid workers. For some reason, with this Labor government blue collar workers always come last.”