A FIGHT IS BREWING
SYDNEY: Many thousands of workers and their supporters marched through the streets as crowds thronged, clapped, and cheered. CFMEU speakers addressed the rally, talking history, common sense, justice and of upcoming fightback. The mood was upbeat and convivial.
During the delivery of the speeches, attendees stood side by side, many listening intently to the speakers, a few, recognising a familiar face among a sea of many others, allowed wide smiles to escape their sometimes serious expressions.
As the names of two high profile individuals were announced by one speaker, those names being Prime Minister and Labor Party head, Anthony Albanese, and Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) head, Sally McManus, the crowd needed no encouragement to boo and jeer. It was starkly apparent that these two “labour leaders” remain deeply unpopular amongst the working class.
In contrast, support for the CFMEU did seem to be abundantly available. The morning rally, which was replicated across multiple cities including Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane, Cairns, Canberra, and Perth, featured much cheering and chanting from the well behaved crowd that was clearly sympathetic to the crisis that the union and its membership presently face.
Photo | Keith Salter
The march and rally were called to highlight the recent attack on the CFMEU, which as locals already know, is a vibrant and vocal union with an enormous membership. The attack, seemingly orchestrated by the federal Labor government, and with the apparent connivance of the ACTU, has seen the unfolding of a dramatic change in circumstances for many decent working people.
The construction arm of the CFMEU has been placed into administration for a period of not less than three years. The union leadership and its organisers have been dismissed without recourse. The matter of proper representation for CFMEU members appears to have been left up in the air, as the sacking of CFMEU officials leaves the membership with little organised support.
Are we gonna fight? Yes! Yes! Yes! | Video: Keith Salter
During the rally in Sydney, the CFMEU speaker asked two questions. Each was asked three times and each time the orderly crowd enthusiastically engaged with the speaker. “Are we gonna fight?” was the first question and the hearty response from the attendees was “Yes, Yes, Yes.”
The speaker then asked, “Are we gonna win?” and the crowd similarly responded in unison, “Yes, Yes, Yes.” More clapping and cheering followed, as various union flags fluttered in the breeze, which had arrived to offset the very warm winter’s day.
Many workers attending the rally may have done so in defiance of overbearing industrial laws. Sensing this, NSW Premier Chris Minns indicated that workers could be fined for participation in the rally and march.
PM Albanese provided a similar indication regarding punishing workers for exercising a basic democratic freedom. The Prime Minister also said, “The government is not for turning and nor is the Australian public — they want to see this industry cleaned up.” Curiously, the phrase “not for turning” appears to be a reference to former UK Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher’s speech to the Tory faithful during the 1980 Conservative Party Conference.
Why an Australian Labor PM should evoke the ghost of an arch-conservative former British PM remains something of a mystery. One may gather that the British Miner’s Strike of 1984-85 provides a simple clue here.
The Prime Minister is currently deeply unpopular within the nation. The PM has failed to denounce the ongoing genocide in Gaza and Palestine. Albanese has also so far refused to limit Australian exports to Israel, some of which are utilised to arm Israeli fighter jets, which in turn destroy cities and their inhabitants.
This failure to act has ensured that a significant segment of the voting electorate will never return to the Labor Party. The unreasonable and ultimately vicious attack on one of Australia’s most successful unions is highly likely to further alienate yet another segment of the voting population.
However, the PM may have other problems to consider. Michael West Media reports that the Prime Minister was spotted holding a press conference with the corporate leadership behind ABC Bullion and its parent company, Pallion Group. What makes the meeting significant is that ABC Bullion was under investigation by ASIC at the time of the press conference.
According to MWM, “The event resulted in the Prime Minister providing the directors of the corporate group an explicit personal endorsement – which included [being] photographed in front of [the] ABC Bullion logo banner – all of which was later splashed across social media.”
As you can imagine, things will probably get worse over time for the current Prime Minister. Therefore, we may expect an early federal election, which cannot occur before 5th October 2024.
Ed. A federal election was held on 3rd May 2025. The Australian Labor Party won the election and PM Albanese was duly re-elected.
The start of something… | Video: Keith Salter
WHAT NEXT?
The CFMEU will now need to decide what its next move is. It is clear that a multi-pronged campaign will be needed to apply pressure to both the current federal Labor government and any incoming one, which will likely proceed with the compulsory “administration” of the union.
Similarly, if the CFMEU are serious about tackling “betrayal” head on, then of course the functions of the ACTU will also need to receive some mild attention. This may be the very best time to instantiate a new federative and coordinating body.
Lastly, even if the union is smashed, a new organisation must rise out of its ashes. One that is neither linked to the Labor Party nor the Australian Council of Trade Unions. This new organisation will remain deeply committed to direct democracy and unswerving in its endeavour to end the scourge of industrial manslaughter.
Police double park their horses during the CFMEU rally for justice | Photo: Keith Salter
Author & Reporter | On the dirty streets of Sydney | Keith Salter
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