Thousands of tradies to walk from construction sites in ‘solidarity with the CFMEU’ after 270 staff members were sacked
Thousands of tradespeople across Australia will protest from construction sites “in solidarity with the CFMEU” after 270 staff were laid off.
The coalition of unions, known as the Building Industry Group of Unions, is calling on its 85,000 members in Victoria to walk out of their workplaces at 11am on Tuesday.
The unprotected strike will reportedly see hundreds of workers march from the city’s State Library “in solidarity with the CMFEU”.
Similar actions are believed to be taking place across the country.
However, the Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO) has issued a warning to those planning to protest. According to the warning, employers are legally required to withhold at least four hours’ pay from employees who take part in unprotected strikes.
“Please note that if an employee fails to report to work or stops working without the employer’s permission, this behaviour may constitute unprotected industrial action that breaches the FW Act,” an FWO spokesperson said.
‘Any person who ‘knowingly and wilfully concerns’ himself or herself with a contravention of the FW Act shall also be deemed to have contravened that provision.
‘If an employee is involved in unprotected strikes, the employer is required under the FW Act to withhold at least four hours’ pay from the employee, even if the strikes lasted less than four hours.’
Thousands of tradesmen put down their tools and walk off construction sites to demonstrate in solidarity with the beleaguered CFMEU (pictured: CFMEU union members in April 2023)
John Setka (pictured) stepped down as Secretary of the CMFEU in Victoria on July 12, 2024
A source told the Herald Sun that the march was ‘underway’ and that the coalition of unions was angry about the way the CFMEU branch in Victoria had been treated.
They denied that bikers had infiltrated the department and said members were concerned about speculation that employers would come up with ‘golden’ CFMEU wage deals.
This came after the Victoria branch was placed into administration on August 12 following reports of riders acting as union representatives, including one officer earning $250,000 a year as a health and safety officer.
The union’s national office has now taken over executive power, dominating the state branch, after John Setka stepped down as Victoria secretary.
Employment law expert Professor Andrew Stewart told Daily Mail Australia that CFMEU officials will continue to monitor construction sites in Victoria.
“There are no legal implications at all, unlike what would happen if the union were to be deregistered, which is unlikely at this point,” the University of Adelaide academic said.
This means the CFMEU will continue to maintain an iron grip on major projects, including the Labor government in Victoria’s $90 billion Big Build program, which includes 165 road and rail projects.
More coming soon.