CFMEU Threatens 72-Hour Strike Over Pay Disputes Amid Federal Government Intervention

The Construction Forestry Maritime Employees Union (CFMEU) has threatened to go on a 72-hour strike if employers continued to target the workers' pay after the union was placed under administration by the federal government.

Addressing tens of thousands of trade workers in Melbourne, Electrical Trades Union's Victorian secretary Troy Gray said the Labor government was targeting the construction workers and risking 100 years of the union's achievements.

"If there is an orchestrated continued attack on the working conditions and living standards of Victorian construction workers ... we will call a third rally ... and there'll be a call for a 72-hour stoppage. We put the industry on notice," ABC News quoted Gray.

Sydney and Melbourne witnessed huge rallies by the workers, who marched the streets for a second day on Wednesday.

The CFMEU was placed under an administrator after allegations of corruption and criminal gangs infiltrating the union. Following the scandal, Victorian branch secretary John Setka was forced to resign from his position.

Gray told Guardian Australia that he was "sick of hearing" about Setka and criminal allegations, which he said was by "one per centers."

In August, the Fair Work Commission had delayed approving the pay deals to check whether the employers were forced to give the raises.

Gray said employers were citing the current situation to stop the interim pay rise, and as a result, nearly 4,000 CFMEU members were hit by a 5% pay cut. He added that employers also refused to negotiate with union leaders on the new pay deal.

Gray said only six pay deals out of 800 Victorian employers were finalized. The unions demanded completing 200 to 200 pay deals within the next six weeks.

"If there are employers who are going to use these circumstances to attack wages and conditions by not signing new EBAs [enterprise bargaining agreements] there will be a third rally called, and the rally can decide [on unprotected action]," Gray said.

He stated that the only option left with the workers were to go for a 72-hour strike, if the "sustained, orchestrated attack" on pay deals continued. He added the union would consider the strike option next Wednesday.

"We're not going to allow 100 years of unionism to go down the drain. The message today was a line in the sand: we've had enough."

Meanwhile, Workplace Relations Minister Murray Watt has called to reconvene the National Construction Industry Forum in October to address workplace issues. He said the recent developments have provided an opportunity to reset the construction sector.

"We need to fundamentally change the culture of this industry. We need a major reset in Australia's construction industry, and we have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to do it," Watt told reporters at the National Press Club on Wednesday. "The construction sector, like many others, works best when government, employers and workers are all on the same page."

Meanwhile, Union administrator Mark Irving maintained that the underworld elements still existed in the union. An interim report submitted by Barrister Geoffrey Watson confirmed the same about the union's Victorian branch. Based on the report, the union was still under the grip of the bikies and efforts to remove them have been inadequate.