Hobart 21 July 2014. Today’s revelations in the media that the CFMEU is forcing its members to pay for a slush fund to pay for court fines incurred by its officials highlights the need for Bill Shorten and Daniel Andrew to expel the CFMEU from the ALP.
(“Union starts slush fund to pay fines”, West Australian, 21 July)
Not content with extorting employers in the construction industry, the CFMEU is now engaged in a money grab from its own members and plans to intimidate its members who don’t pay.
CFMEU members don’t need another money grab when, according to its most recent financial returns, the WA Construction branch of the CFMEU already has $18.6 million in declared assets.
Rather than taking their money, both Shorten and Andrews need to step in and expel the CFMEU from the Labor Party and refuse to accept any further donations from a union that is now ripping off its own members to fund its own lawlessness.
To do any less will once again confirm the reasons Labor is so vehemently opposed to the Coalition’s plan to reintroduce the Australian Building and Construction Commission, the tough cop on the beat in the Construction industry with the power to prosecute those engaged in unlawful conduct.
The plan being proposed by CFMEU Tsar Joe McDonald comes following revelations earlier this year that as a result of his actions Mr McDonald and the CFMEU have been fined more than $1 million by the courts.
“When you have the most militant and thuggish union establishing a slush fund in preparation of paying court imposed fines, you know something is seriously wrong,” Employment Minister Senator Eric Abetz said today.
“This clear demonstration that union bosses are preparing to break the law undermines the principles of a civil society and the rule of law.”
“Honest union members are disgusted by the union boss rorts, rackets and rip offs engaged in by the bosses of this union and it’s high time that Mr Shorten and Mr Andrews step in to put a stop to it.” Senator Abetz concluded.
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