Construction Forestry Mining Energy Union

ILO canes the ABCC again - 11 March 2010
The national secretary of the Construction Forestry Mining and Energy Union's building division, Dave Noonan, said the ILO had "directly criticised the work of the ABCC, and exposed its practice of prosecuting workers as a breach of international labour standards". [ MORE ] Union says it fed starving workers - 8 March 2010
A building industry union says it had to feed 30 starving Chinese workers who it discovered working illegally and without payment on a Canberra school site. [ MORE ] Qld coal miners warn BHP on 16-hour shifts - 5 March 2010
Our Union in Queensland has warned BHP to back off its attempt to provide for the introduction of 14-16 hour shifts at its Central Queensland coal mines. [ MORE ] Mind the gap: benefits from free trade haven't quite gone the distance - 3 March 2010
Five years on, it is clear the free trade agreement between Australia and the United States was a dud. Despite the fanfare with which the Howard government introduced it, no tangible benefits have resulted for Australia.Australia's exports to the US in the five years to last year grew by only 2.5 per cent, compared with double-digit growth for exports to all the major Asian trading partners. [ MORE ] 'Robin Hood tax' takes from the banks to give to the worthy - 25 February 2010
Nearly 800 years after celebrated rogue Robin Hood launched raids from their Sherwood Forest hide-out - redistributing wealth from a greedy and corrupt aristocracy to the starving peasantry - he has been recruited to a new campaign. This month, 350 prominent economists have publicly backed a proposed 'Robin Hood tax' on speculative financial transactions, which could raise about $US400 billion ($A450 billion) a year worldwide. [ MORE ]

CFMEU paper on Australia's international trade commitments and the 457 visa
This paper produced by the CFMEU challenges the Federal Government's argument that it cannot give preference to local workers over temporary overseas workers due to WTO and free trade agreement rules. [ READ MORE ]

Action Needed To Halt Apartheid Policies in Israel
Today Australian unions are confronted with a choice between international action in solidarity with the colonised and brutalised people of Occupied Palestine or joining Israel's apologists who want the plight of the Palestinian people buried and forgotten. [ READ MORE ]

Speech by John Sutton at Intelligence Squared Debate "Australia's Immigration Rate is Too High"
Our current immigration numbers are too high for Australia's present economic circumstances and are detrimental to the job prospects and work rights of our young people in particular. The rapid growth of temporary visa workers in Australia needs to be curtailed and guest workers only introduced where genuine, verifiable skill shortages exist. [ READ MORE ]

CFMEU Submission on Model OHS Laws rejects lowest common denominator approach
In regard to the draft Model OHS laws, the final CFMEU submission to Safe Work Australia argues that the Workplace Relations Ministerial Council, that approved the final public comment draft of the Model OHS laws, (all the state, territory and Commonwealth OHS Ministers) failed to apply the basic directive for the new laws "that in developing harmonised OHS legislation there be no reduction or compromise in standards for legitimate safety concerns". [ READ MORE ]

CFMEU Calls for Justice for the Cuban Five
The Cuban Five, sometimes known as the Miami Five, will soon be entering the twelfth year of their unjust prison terms. Nobel Prize laureates, peace organizations, politicians and other associations worldwide have campaigned for justice for these men who acted in the interests of the safety of their country. The CFMEU asks that you join this campaign for their freedom. [ READ MORE ]

A Better Life? Stories of Exploited Guest Workers in Australia
The hope of a better life is the common thread that runs through the stories of almost all guest workers who come to Australia. For many, however, the life that awaits them here does not match expectations. All too often, guest workers' vulnerabilities are exploited. The fact that guest workers are twice as likely to die at work is tragic evidence of this vulnerability. [ READ MORE ]

CFMEU backs Government proposals to stop sham contracting
The CFMEU applauds the recent statement from the Assistant Treasurer that the Rudd Government is determined to see an end to sham contracting rorts. The scale of sham contracting has been demonstrated by the CFMEU in its analysis of ABS statistics showing that 50,000 labourers working in the construction industry were classified as so called 'independent contractors'. The Government report recommending a crackdown on the tax abuse integral to the 'NO ABN NO START' rorts enforced by some employers is attached. [ READ MORE ]