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Hundreds of people, including rank-and-file Construction Forestry and Maritime Employees Union (CFMEU) members, attended a public meeting to discuss defending the union from Labor’s anti-union laws on December 5.

The meeting aimed to build community support for reinstating sacked CFMEU officials and the Anthony Albanese government’s anti-CFMEU law.

It was organised by , a group of rank-and-file CFMEU and community members fighting for a democratic member-run union.

Sue Bull from Defend the Unions, Defend the CFMEU told 91������̳ that “The turn-out was inspiring” and that “it demonstrates that it is possible to build a mass campaign opposing the CFMEU being placed under administration”.

Former national CFMEU president Jade Ingham, WA Independent Senator Fatima Payman and criminal lawyer David Water addressed the meeting, which was chaired by Socialist Alliance Merri-bek councillor Sue Bolton.

Ingham spoke about the  and unions’ legal strategy to challenge the new laws which appoint an administrator to run every CFMEU branch. He said it was “fundamentally unconstitutional”.

Albanese’s attack on the CFMEU was “never about corruption” Ingham said. “It was about political control … taking out a political opponent … an organisation that had both the means and the will to challenge the political establishment.”

Water argued that the law targeting the CFMEU is one of the “most repressive” he has ever seen. He said that it contained “powers that violate basic legal principles”, such as the right of silence, conflict of interests and confidentiality.

There is “no right of appeal”, he said, adding that it is “fundamentally draconian”.

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WA Senator Fatima Payman. Photo: Jacob Andrewartha

Payman said Labor’s law targeting the CFMEU is a “fundamental betrayal of workers”. “Stripping workers of their representation is just a policy failure, but a human tragedy,” she said. “The Labor party cannot claim to stand for workers while it systematically strips away their rights.”

Discussion focused on how to build the CFMEU defence campaign.

A statement in support of sacked Victorian CFMEU organiser Esther Van Arend was read out. It said her unfair sacking “is yet another example of how this unprecedented anti-union legislation by the Albanese Labor government is preventing due process, natural justice and ignoring all democratic processes”.

The meeting passed a motion to protest Van Arend’s sacking. It will be held on December 13 at 12.30pm outside the Fair Work Commission at 11 Exhibition Street, Melbourne.

[Click to join the Defend the CFMEU solidarity campaign. Join the rally in Canberra on December 10 to support the CFMEU High Court challenge.] 

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Chair Councillor Sue Bolton opening the meeting. Photo: Jacob Andrewartha

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Photo: Jacob Andrewartha