BY ANDREW FERGUSON
SYDNEY — Federal workplace relations minister Tony Abbott has established a royal commission into the building industry. The intention of the federal government is to destroy the Construction, Mining, Forestry and Energy Union.
The CFMEU would welcome any government inquiry into the real issues affecting our industry — issues such as widespread and increasing tax evasion by employers, corporate fraud, workers' compensation non-compliance and the use by some employers of criminals to extend market influence. In particular, we would like a royal commission to investigate unacceptable safety practices. Dozens of workers are killed on sites every year because of employers' disregard for safety.
Abbott refuses to allow workplace safety to be examined by the royal commission. He has also insisted the royal commission need not examine tax evasion in the industry, which is estimated to cost $1 billion.
The last royal commission into the building industry was held in NSW in 1990 by the Greiner-Fahey Coalition government. This royal commission was accompanied by an anti-union taskforce which cost NSW taxpayers $40 million. The Abbott royal commission, looking at the building industry across Australia, will cost an estimated $80 million. Taxpayers' money should not be wasted on union bashing.
The final conclusion of the royal commission was that "there was no acceptable evidence of widespread or serious corruption of full time union officials" and "there was no evidence of systematic violence or physical intimidation by unions or unionists".
The CFMEU has a proud history of fighting corruption and violence. When the NSW branch of the union found a handful of delegates involved in impropriety two years ago, they were sacked from the union. The NSW police were provided with detailed reports. There was no hesitation or cover up.
If the corporate sector acted like the CFMEU the building industry would be significantly better.
Prime Minister John Howard's government is intent on destroying trade unions. It was involved in a conspiracy with stevedoring companies to smash the Maritime Union of Australia several years ago. In particular, it wants to target strong unions that oppose government policy.
The CFMEU is regarded as one of Australia's most effective trade unions. The CFMEU has resisted the government's enterprise bargaining policies and has developed strategies that have united building workers rather than allowing them to be divided and compete against each other on individual contracts. Many unions are seeking to emulate this industry-wide pattern bargaining wage strategy.
For decades the CFMEU has been at the forefront of international trade union solidarity. The union played a key role in the struggle against apartheid in South Africa, and more recently for the liberation of East Timor from Indonesian occupation. Not only did the union help to co-ordinate and participate in mass protest rallies and pickets against the Indonesian government, it has organised practical assistance since independence.
The union has raised more than $1 million to help reconstruction in East Timor. Union volunteers have helped train Timorese youth to re-build their war-torn country. The union built the first school in the capital Dili within months of independence. The union is now actively involved in the anti-war movement opposing US bombing of Afghanistan and the killing of innocent civilians. The union constantly assists trade unions in poor countries to organise and campaign for human rights and acceptable labour standards.
Over the last 10 years, the union has raised more than $1 million for children's hospitals in Sydney. One of the wards in the Westmead Children's Hospital is in fact named after the former federal secretary of the union, Pat Clancy. Over the last 12 months union members have donated $200,000 to the Neuroscience Institute of Schizophrenia and Allied Disorders. This generosity and humanitarianism is a daily occurrence on building sites and an integral part of the union's work.
Finally, the union has intervened to stop developers destroying Sydney's heritage and environment. This year is the 30th anniversary of Sydney's first green ban at Kelly's Bush. This ban stopped the building of home units on natural bushland at Hunters Hill. The entire suburbs of Glebe, the Rocks and Woolloomooloo were also saved by green bans.
Recent bans have stopped the construction of home units at Erskineville and provided a small park for local working-class kids, stopped the building of a McDonald's fast food outlet adjacent to Centennial Park and prevented demolition of Sydney's historic Finger Wharf at Woolloomooloo. In August the union prevented the demolition of the heritage Maritime Services Building at Circular Quay.
You can help the CFMEU fight the Howard government's attack by:
- donating to the CFMEU Fighting Fund (cheques payable CFMEU). Post to CFMEU Construction and General Division, Locked Bag 1, Lidcombe, NSW 1825; and
- volunteering to work at the CFMEU office in defence of the union. Contact Phil Davey on (02) 9749 0400.
[Andrew Ferguson is the secretary of the construction and general division of the NSW branch of the CFMEU.]
From Green Left Weekly, March 6, 2002.
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