CFMEU reply to Employment Advocate

Date: 29 April 2004

Australia's construction Union, the CFMEU, has responded to the Employment Advocate's report on Freedom of Association released today with a strong defense of union members using moral persuasion to encourage fellow workers to join the Union.

CFMEU Construction National Secretary John Sutton said: "The Office of the Employment Advocate is a dedicated anti-trade union agency, funded by the Howard Government to weaken trade unions.
"The Office is headed up by people like Jonathan Hamberger who have a history of working for Peter Reith and Liberal Governments with a passionate drive to disrupt and weaken Australian unions.
"We doubt the objectivity of the arguments they'd make about union membership."

"In any event, the CFMEU is immensely proud of the pay, conditions and standards we have been able to win for Australian construction workers," Mr Sutton said.

"The CFMEU won't back down on any fight to maintain and improve those standards further. We certainly won't be giving an inch while health and safety statistics remain as they are with an average one worker being killed per week on building sites.
"Any weakening of trade unions on construction jobs will only lead to an increase in serious injuries and deaths of construction workers."

"We also urge all building workers to heed their moral responsibility to be in the union.

"Moral persuasion is currently used by CFMEU members to encourage fellow workers to join the union. Moral persuasion should continue to be used to ensure that 'All who benefit must contribute'.
"Aussie construction workers don't sponge off their mates: the stronger the Union, the more we achieve together."

For further information

Contact:	John Sutton
Union:	CFMEU
Phone:	02. 9267 7644
Fax:	9267 8863
Email:	BMoloney@fed.cfmeu.asn.au
WWW:	http://cfmeu.asn.au/construction/

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