MEDIA RELEASE
Embargoed Friday, 30 October 2009
Union pledges national strike action
Thousands of Australian construction workers will down tools today to attend rallies
around the country in support of South Australian construction worker, Ark Tribe who
faces court today for taking a stand for his rights on site.
Earlier this month the CFMEU unanimously passed a resolution at the union’s
national conference for a national industrial response should the South Australian be
sentenced to jail time.
Under the Federal Government’s building industry laws, first introduced under the
Howard Government, Mr Tribe faces up to six months in prison for allegedly failing to
attend a secret interrogation by the Australian Building and Construction Commission
(ABCC).
Mr Tribe was targeted by the ABCC after he attended a stop work meeting over
safety concerns at construction site at Flinders University in 2008.
The pledge comes as the CFMEU prepares to step up its campaign against the
ABCC and its coercive powers, with thousands of people expected to turn out to
rallies around the country as Mr Tribe faces court today.
CFMEU Construction National Secretary, Dave Noonan said that construction
workers were prepared to take nation wide industrial action if Mr Tribe were
imprisoned for taking a stand for his rights on site.
“Australian construction workers stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Ark Tribe in the fight
against the charges laid against him and the offensive building industry laws that
single out construction workers for harsh treatment,” Mr Noonan said.
“Delegates at the CFMEU national conference have unanimously called for national
industrial action if any worker is jailed under the Federal Government’s building
industry laws.”
Mr Noonan said that the onus was now on the Australian Parliament to protect
construction workers who stand up for their basic rights by abolishing the ABCC and
its coercive powers.
“We believe that politicians in Canberra must support the abolition of the ABCC and
its offensive powers to ensure that no worker will be jailed for standing up for their
basic rights at work,” Mr Noonan said.
Mr Noonan will today address a rally outside the Adelaide Magistrates court where
more than one thousands workers are expected to turn out in support of Mr Tribe.
For more information please call Dave Noonan on 0418 508 762 or Tim Fitzsimmons
(EMC) on 0423 375 522.
NEWS 
