United Firefighters Union secretary Peter Marshall tops pay list at $470k

Australia’s highest paid union leader, United Firefighters Union secretary Peter Marshall received $470,280 last financial year.

United Firefighters Union secretary Peter Marshall. Picture: Tim Carrafa

Australia’s highest paid union leader, United Firefighters Union secretary Peter Marshall received $470,280 last financial year, $51,000 more than the previous 12 months, and well over double the amount paid annually to ACTU secretary Sally McManus.

Disclosure statements filed with the government’s union regulator show CFMEU Victorian construction division secretary John Setka received $268,104 over 12 months, a 16 per cent or $38,262 rise on the $229,842 he declared the previous year.

The highest individual annual remuneration disclosed to the Registered Organisations Commission was by former Victorian Chamber of Commerce and ­Industry chief Mark Stone, who was paid $506,366 in the 2019-20 financial year, having left the position at the end of 2019.

Pharmacy Guild of Australia national president George Tambassis received $394,720 last ­financial year, a rise of almost $6000, while Aged and Community Services Australia secretary Patrica Sparrow received $323,025.

Mr Marshall is paid by the UFU for holding the positions of national and Victorian secretary. It is understood part of the reason his remuneration jumped was he was backpaid after not initially ­receiving an annual increase paid to firefighters under their enterprise agreement.

Sources said the amount ­received by Mr Marshall, who ­declined to comment to The Australian, was “much more than double” that earned by either Ms McManus or ACTU president Michele O’Neil.

The ACTU and many prominent business groups are not obliged to declare the remuneration of senior officials and executives to the commission.

Disclosure statements show a raft of CFMEU officials are also paid more annually than the peak union body’s leaders.

Dave Noonan, the national secretary of the CFMEU’s construction and general division, ­received $279,491 in the 12 months to last March, up from $223,295 in the previous year, a rise of $56,000. His divisional deputy, Nigel Davies, received $245,867 while a second deputy, Andrew Sutherland, who is also the construction division’s South Australian branch secretary, received $250,725.

 

Rita Mallia, the NSW president of the CFMEU construction division, declared $316,276 for the 12 months to last March. The union’s disclosure statement said the amount included $86,860 that she received for sitting on various board and committee positions. However, it said the amount was paid to the union and not Ms Mallia.

Darren Greenfield, the NSW construction divisions secretary received $268,238, while Michael Ravbar, who holds the same position in Queensland, recorded $249,611 in remuneration.

The commission has not published all the latest disclosure statements filed by registered ­unions and employer organisations.

Tony Maher, general president of the CFMEU mining and energy division, previously declared remuneration of $277,841 in 2019, while the division’s general secretary, Grahame Kelly, received $271,280.

Officials said the ­remun­eration declared by CFMEU offici­als, which included superannuation, was commensurate with industry wages. While private sector wages growth had been at record lows, members of the CFMEU’s construction division have traditional secured agreements that deliver annual 5 per cent pay rises. Recent deals in NSW between major builders and the union saw annual increases of 3-5 per cent.

Disclosure statements show Mr Stone was paid $469,763 in 2019 and the higher amount ­received last financial year would appear to include remuneration he received upon his departure. His successor, Paul Guerra received $205,769 for the first six months he held the chief executive’s position.

Suresh Manickam, chief executive of the National Electrical and Communications Association ­received $260,577, while the ­association’s NSW head, Oliver Judd, was paid $260,720.

The Fair Work (Registered ­Organisations) Act requires organisations, and the officers and branches of organisations, to make disclosures concerning remuneration, non-cash benefits, and payments to related parties and declared persons or bodies. It also requires that officers with financial duties complete approved training.

As well as salaries, union officials and employer representatives are required to disclose the value of so-called non-cash benefits including a car used for work, income protection insurance and accommodation for work purposes.

Former CFMEU national secretary Michael O’Connor received $248,999 in 2019 and a $16,196 non-cash benefit for a car. In addition to his $268,000 in ­remuneration, Mr Setka received a car allowance of almost $10,000.

Shaun Reardon, who quit as Mr Setka’s deputy, is recorded as receiving $332,270 in the 12 month to last March last year.