CANBERRA, Australia—Thousands of workers across Australia halted work and took to the streets to protest the federal government’s decision to place the Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union’s (CFMEU) construction division under administration.
A few hundred gathered at Woden Town Square in Canberra, where Zach Smith, the national secretary of the CFMEU’s local division, declared this was not the end of the union.
“This union is as strong as ever and it will continue to be as strong as ever. After administration ends, there will still be a tough, strong CFMEU if you stick by the union, defend the union, stick by your workmates, don’t walk away, and hold your values and principles true. This union, the CFMEU, is here to stay,” he told protestors on Aug. 27.
Smith vowed to prioritise members’ interests during the administration and rebuilding phase.
“You deserve a tough union, a militant union, a principled union that will take up the fight not only in the workplace. The fight for a better society does not start or finish at the gates of a worksite but continues into society, into the community. So we will continue that struggle in administration, and we’ll continue to make sure the interests of the members are put forward.”
The protest was staged across capital cities in Australia, with reports suggesting 15,000 individuals took part.
About 8,000 were estimated to have gathered outside Melbourne’s Trades Hall.
They carried signs reading, “Hands off the CFMEU,” while dressed in hi-vis and work gear, protesters waved union flags, bringing parts of the CBD to a standstill.
CFMEU Increasingly Isolated
From Aug. 23, the CFMEU was placed under the administration of Victorian barrister Mark Irving KC.Federal Labor Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus announced the decision, declaring it was “in the public interest” following alleged reports of corruption and criminal gang links within the union’s construction arm.
State Labor governments have also distanced themselves from the CFMEU amid the fallout.
In Sydney, deposed CFMEU NSW state secretary Darren Greenfield—who faces allegations of corruption—claimed the peak trade union body, the Australian Council of Trade Unions leader had betrayed the CFMEU.
“Sally McManus is a sellout,” he said. “We pay her to look after us and she sold us out for the Labor Party.”
In Brisbane, federal Greens MP Max Chandler-Mather addressed the local rally.
“You will be dismissed as radicals,” he said. “But it’s not radical to believe that a construction worker should be afforded a fair trial like a CEO, banker, or a politician.”
“The real radicals are the Labor and Liberal politicians on untested allegations who are doing this as judge, jury and executioner.”
At the Canberra rally, participants criticised the government for taking control of the CFMEU while failing to manage its own responsibilities, such as controlling inflation, resolving the housing crisis, and addressing the cost of living.
“All the while, their profits continue to rise, yet the system isn’t functioning well at all,” said Michael Hiscox, Acting Secretary of the ACT wing of the CFMEU.
“Now, let’s take a moment to consider our own situation. How are our finances? They’re strong, overseen by rank-and-file members of our union, ensuring responsible management and accountability. How about our membership? We’re at 20-year highs.”
As the protest concluded, a group of union members also began chanting pro-Palestine slogans, demanding the freedom of Palestine.
