New 'super union' a risk to jobs, economy and community - Master Builders

ALLOWING the CFMEU and MUA to form a new militant 'super-union' will put the economy and jobs in jeopardy, accpording to Master Builders Australia CEO Denita Wawn.

"The creation of a militant 'super-union' is a backwards step that will have far reaching consequences for the construction industry and the community,” Ms Wawn said.

“No government – Labor or Coalition – would allow a corporate merger which resulted in the formation of an entity with the capacity to shut down multiple supply chains and effectively hold the economy to ransom. But this is exactly what this decision will create,” Ms Wawn said.

"The MUA and CFMEU appear to share a common belief that they are above the law and are renowned for using tactics such as bullying, intimidation, and industrial thuggery on anyone who disagrees with them,” she said.

"Merging these two unions into one new, militant 'super-union' will see these illegal tactics become more prevalent, giving them even greater power to coerce business, put jobs at risk and bring the economy to a standstill.

“The community has every right to question how two of the most militant unions in Australian history could be allowed to get bigger,” she said.

"It is hard to imagine any other situation where a merger with ramifications so dire would be allowed to happen, and the community has every reason to hold serious concerns about what this means for them.

“Even worse, the key partners in this 'super-union' seem to take pride in taking illegal action, believing they are above the law which applies to the rest of the community.

“There are countless decisions where courts have determined that breaking the law is part of the business model under which these militant unions operate,” Ms Wawn said.

"They simply pay the fines the courts impose and then repeat offend. With more than $310 million in assets and $150 million in annual turnover even the maximum fines the courts can impose will be irrelevant to the super-union and their ability to expand this business model unrestrained."

Master Builders agreed with recent observations of Federal Court Judge Salvatore Vasta who noted, "It seems that the CFMEU feel that they can usurp Parliament and that they can set the law in this country. There is no place for such an attitude in Australian society.”

The new militant 'super-union' and its officials now face some important tests, according to Master Builders.

"Will they embark on a new era of lawful activity or revert to thuggery and intimidation? Will they continue to think that there is one law for militant unions and another for everyone else? Will they continue to put their own interests above those of the community, workers and normal people?,” Ms Wawn said.

"If history is anything to go by, we think they'll fail these tests fairly soon."

www.masterbuilders.com.au

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