Manufacturing Division welcomes vote to split from CFMEU

THE CFMEU Manufacturing Division has welcomed the announcement from Employment and Workplace Relations Minister, Tony Burke, that the Federal Government would provide the opportunity for members to vote on their future.

Manufacturing Division members will now have the chance to determine if they want their union to be outside of the CFMEU.

Mr Burke was "100 percent right in his assessment that the status quo in the CFMEU is dysfunctional and cannot continue" a statement from the Manufacturing Division read.

CFMEU Manufacturing national secretary, Michael O’Connor said, "We welcome this, the government is doing the right thing, they have listened to us and are respecting the good judgment of our members.

“Our members, who work in floorcovering, cabinetry and joinery, glass and glazing, installation and shopfitting, timber and wood products, pulp and paper, furniture, textile, clothing and footwear and building products and materials manufacturing, deserve the right to decide how they want to be represented by their union.

“This government has a good track record of backing workers’ rights and this is no exception. We will now move to ensure a vote of our members on this question can occur as a matter of priority.

“We will be encouraging every member to vote in the secret ballot and ensure they are fully informed of the benefits to them from the Manufacturing Division becoming independent of the CFMEU.”   

The Manufacturing Division made an application to the Fair Work Commission more than two years ago to put the demerger question to rank and file Manufacturing Division members and, following CFMEU Construction Division efforts to block the vote from occurring, has supported a Private Members Bill Senator Jacqui Lambie introduced to Parliament earlier this year which would facilitate a vote.

Last year the Mining and Energy Union was allowed a vote on whether to leave the CFMEU and 98 percent of members voted in their thousands to leave.

“Our members will now get the same opportunity as mining and energy workers got last year, to determine the future of their union,” Mr O'Connor said.

“We thank Senator Lambie and Minister Burke, who are backing us in, to give our members an opportunity for a brighter future outside of the CFMEU and a more respected and active role in the labour movement, free from the shackles of the dysfunctional CFMEU,” Mr O’Connor said.

 

ends