Royal commission attacks workers

July 3, 2002
Issue 

BY NICK EVERETT
& SAM WAINWRIGHT

SYDNEY — Since the Royal Commission into the Building and Construction Industry began sitting in Sydney in early June, lurid employer claims of Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU) thuggery have been given almost daily coverage in the city's corporate media, despite the unproven nature of the claims. According to the Labor Council of NSW web site, Workers Online, one major Sydney radio station has even been billing its reports as coming from the “Royal Commission Into Union Corruption”.

Employers have used the commission not only to make unprovable claims against CFMEU officials, but also to whinge about union organisers' colourful language. At one stage the commission even thought it necessary to discuss how much building workers swear!

Under commission rules, the CFMEU cannot cross-examine witnesses at the time the allegations are made — and when the union does cross-examine, it must give witnesses advance notice of what they will be asked about.

In this way the commission provides the media with a steady stream of anti-union gossip — helping the state ALP government in its campaign to amend unfair dismissal laws and introduce a new wave of anti-union laws.

Eighty people rallied outside the commission's Sydney hearings on June 26. Called by the NSW CFMEU, the “community protest” was attended by many activists from campaigns the union has supported over the years.

NSW CFMEU state president John Sutton told the protest that he had appeared before the commission on June 25. “I was asked whether we seek to use our bargaining power to win our demands”, said Sutton. “If there is another way for unions to win their demands, I would like to know what it is.” Sutton argued that the commission was seeking to undermine the CFMEU, because an attack on one of Australia's strongest unions would assist in attacking workers' rights across the board.

Sutton explained that the CFMEU was not just about improving the working conditions of its members, but building a “social movement”. He explained how the union, with the support of its members, had raised $255,000 for a training centre in East Timor and had also raised money for children's hospitals and charities.

Don MacDonald, representing the Schizophrenia Foundation, argued that the CFMEU has demonstrated its “social conscience”, raising $300,000 for the foundation over the last 18 months.

George Spear also spoke on behalf of the South Sydney Leagues Club, which had been reinstated in the rugby league competition following a campaign supported by the CFMEU.

While the commission was ostensibly set up to investigate “innappropriate and illegal activity” across the industry, the NSW branch of the CFMEU has had limited success in raising a number of violations by employers.

In a commission submission, the Australian Tax Office described tax avoidance in the construction industry as being of “epidemic proportions”, explaining that employers within this industry are twice as likely to have outstanding tax debts and conceal nearly 40% of their income. Yet, in a letter to the CFMEU quoted in the June 27 Australian Financial Review, employment minister Tony Abbott argued that “there is no evidence that tax evasion is more prevalent in [the construction] industry than any others”.

From Green Left Weekly, July 3, 2002.
Visit the Green Left Weekly home page. 

You need Green Left, and we need you!

Green Left is funded by contributions from readers and supporters. Help us reach our funding target.

Make a One-off Donation or choose from one of our Monthly Donation options.

Become a supporter to get the digital edition for $5 per month or the print edition for $10 per month. One-time payment options are available.

You can also call 1800 634 206 to make a donation or to become a supporter. Thank you.