The CFMEU

or Construction, Forestry, Mining and Engineering Union should never have been allowed to develop in the first place. It is much too big.

It is also much too powerful. Anyone with any knowledge of past politics in this country knows that the "Labor" party grew out of the union movement. It is still beholden to the union movement. 

Unions once had a place in society. They really did speak for the workers. They were essential in making sure workers really did get better wages and better conditions. In the past the working conditions of many people in so-called "civilised" countries were often appalling. 

Not everyone was like my paternal grandfather. We have a photograph somewhere of Grandpa and his staff in the tailoring business. There are thirty-eight people in the photograph. Most of them are women. He had an extraordinary reputation for making sure they had the correct amount of annual leave and sick leave for the time. If women were married and became pregnant they had what amounted to "maternity leave" - not perhaps at the generous rates of today - but knowing they would be welcomed back. Many of the women also worked from home, coming into the business once or twice a week to bring in what they had done and take away more. His business was held up as an example of how things should be done. 

Nobody on his pay roll belonged to a union. They didn't need to belong but Grandpa was not opposed to unions.  He thought they had a place "until government regulates employment". 

There is plenty of regulation in place now. The law of employment gets more and more complex. Even "volunteers" are covered in ways that were unheard of not long ago. As a volunteer at the RAHS Show this year I need a valid "Working With Children" certificate and an "Occupational Health and Safety" certificate. I need to wear a "hi-vis vest" and shoes with "closed in" toes. 

It is all part of "keeping people safe" and it all comes about because of legislation. Unions no longer play the same role. Is it any wonder then that union membership has dropped to around 13% of the workforce in this country? Does anyone else find it extraordinary that any union is still genuinely powerful? 

The CFMEU is still powerful. The "construction" sector can quite simply bring the country to an economic halt...and they know it. Their members recently achieved a twenty percent pay rise in another state...along with other perks. Many of them earn more than a range of professionals who work much longer hours and take on far greater responsibilities. 

Now the CFMEU's "construction" division is "outraged" because some journalists have been delving into its murky depths and come up with some potentially serious pollution. Interestingly however the current government is not saying this section should be "de registered". Why would they? The Labor party benefits from the funds - and there are still sufficient members of the CFMEU to inflict hard economic damage on the country. 

It is all very different from the way Grandpa managed his business or what he thought unions should be about.