Labor's Real Challenge: The CFMEU
Labor prime ministers have often been associated with a "bad boy" union, currently the Construction, Forestry and Maritime Employees Union (CFMEU).
A notable example is the Builders Labourers Federation (BLF), which was deregistered by a Labor prime minister, with its leader, Norm Gallagher, jailed.
How very courageous of Bob Hawke, the former ACTU president.
This move was seen as a step to stoke investor confidence and confirm the rightness of Labor's cause, particularly with the introduction of enterprise bargaining.
The CFMEU's behaviour is a distraction from the real issue: the government's refusal to review its IR legislation to prevent such behaviour from the outset.
Author's Summary
Labor faces a challenge from the CFMEU's behavior, distracting from the need for IR legislation review.