‘Totally dysfunctional’: CFMEU boss Michael O’Connor resigns

Michael O’Connor has resigned after months of bitter divisions, declaring the union ‘has failed the test of political maturity’.

Michael O'Connor has resigned as National Secretary of the CFMEU. Picture: David Geraghty

The CFMEU is in crisis in the wake of the resignation of national secretary Michael O’Connor, with the manufacturing and mining divisions to boycott union forums, and a national executive meeting to appoint his successor declared against union rules

Mr O’Connor, who stepped down following a campaign by construction and maritime division officials, including Victorian secretary John Setka, to force him out, told The Australian the “disunity within the union is something I can’t see being fixed in the foreseeable future”.

Regarded as one of the country’s most influential union leaders, Mr O’Connor will remain on the ALP national executive until the party’s next national conference and stay on as the union’s manufacturing division secretary.

John Setka. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

Declaring that the amalgamation of unions into the CFMEU “obviously has not worked”, he said the manufacturing division would no longer participate in union meetings involving construction and maritime officials.

“I am not optimistic about (the union’s future),” he said.

“It will take a major shift in people’s attitudes to see it recover from here — but I can’t see that happening.”

Supporters of Mr O’Connor said the recent no-confidence motions against him were “revenge” by Mr Setka, who remains angry that Mr O’Connor did not publicly support him after Mr Setka was charged with harassing his wife, and the Labor Party moved to expel him.

“Everything we have built up through the amalgamation has been destroyed, it’s all f..ked,” one official said.

“All because Michael didn’t support John over his domestic violence conviction. That’s what it boils down to. You only need to state that to see how absurd it is.”

CFMEU national president Tony Maher, who leads the mining and energy division, said its officials would boycott the national executive meeting scheduled on Friday.

He said Mr O’Connor’s resignation was a “real blow”.

In a letter to Mr O’Connor, Dave Noonan and Paddy Crumlin, Mr Maher said the resolution calling the meeting did not get a majority because two officials, Jade Ingham and Nigel Davies, were not eligible to be national executive members.

He said the duo were not eligible because they had failed, as required by union rules, to nominate for positions as members of the construction division’s national executive committee.

Mr Maher said the mining and energy division would determine its “future involvement” in the CFMEU next Monday, but sources said the division was expected to act as a separate standalone division, snubbing the construction division.

Opponents of Mr O’Connor want to install maritime union official Chris Cain as national secretary but his opponents insist he is not eligible under current union rules. Sources said Mr Noonan could be appointed temporarily.

Union officials outside the CFMEU said the resignation of Mr O’Connor, who has been an influential figure in ALP and ACTU policy debates, would leave the union more isolated, and reduce its influence across the broader labour movement.

Master Builders Australia chief executive Denita Wawn said the construction industry “will be gravely concerned if it means more people with a history of bullying and contempt for the law gain positions of greater responsibility in the union.”

Mr Setka declined to comment on Thursday.