8th August 2022
The Mining and Energy Union remains determined to give members a say on their future within the CFMMEU despite a disappointing decision by the Federal Court today rejecting one aspect of our initial application.
The next step is to lodge a revised application for a member ballot with the Fair Work Commission and we will do this at the earliest opportunity.
Today’s decision is a judgement on the technical issue of which amalgamation date can be used in our application to the Fair Work Commission for a member ballot – whether we can rely on the most recent round of amalgamations in 2018 or the earlier date of 1992. The Federal Court has ruled that we cannot rely on the 2018 date.
I appreciate members’ patience as we work through the complex legal process towards giving all members a vote on staying in the CFMMEU or pursuing an independent future.
The question I most commonly hear from members is: ‘what’s taking so long?’
The unfortunate answer is that we are battling on-going legal interference from the construction-dominated national office of the CFMMEU.
If they cared about the views of Mining and Energy members within the union, they would get out of the way of a democratic vote. That would be the best and quickest way to resolve this issue.
Our Central Council is committed to working through all legal options available to us to deliver on the unanimous decision of our National Convention last year to pursue a ballot of members regarding our future in the CFMMEU.
In the meantime, we will continue to keep members updated and focus entirely on the considerable challenges our members face in mining and energy workplaces.
Tony Maher,
General President
