Union muscle.

The unions are forever griping about the few unscrupulous employers who take advantage of the new industrial relations laws to peg back wages, but those same unions are not above using their industrial muscle in contravention of the law.
This week one of them got caught !
The giant Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy union ( CFMEU ) was fined $ 23,250 for falsely telling workers that they had to be members of the CFMEU to be able to work on job sites in Wollongong.
The law is very clear on this point. The days of " closed shop " - union members only work sites is long gone. Nobody is obliged to join a union as a condition of employment.
In this instance, the offending union has been ordered to place full page advertisements in Sydney newspapers advertising the fact that workers have a free choice whether or not to join the CFMEU.
Both the fine and the newspaper advertisements are part of an ongoing charade. This militant union has no intention of complying with the law. It's only regret is that it was stupid enough to get caught. There are subtle ways to get the message across to those seeking work and no doubt the CFMEU will continue to make it clear to new employees that they had better join the union - or else !
One of the objections many have to union membership is that the unions support one political party - and donate huge sums to support that party's effort to achieve government. These donations come from union dues - and so to many who have other political preferences it is galling to see their money directed against their political wishes.
Perhaps the time will come when by law union dues will have to be divided into two categories. A membership fee which is compulsory - and a political fee which the union can use to support a political party - which is optional.
Unfortunately whatever system the law dictates will not stop industrial muscle being used to achieve the outcome the union bosses demand !