Commissioner Dyson Heydon has handed down his finding at the conclusion of the Royal Commission into the Trade Union movement. It surprises nobody that this investigation uncovered evidence of entrenched crime, standover tactics, money laundering and that union members funds were systematically pilfered by the union bosses who ran union affairs.
The union movement - and it's political mentor - the Australian Labor party claim that this Royal Commission is simply a "witch hunt " instigated by the government for political gain. They deny any and all wrongdoing. This looks like the issue that will be taken to the next election and if Labor uses it's numbers in the Senate to block reform, there is a chance that it may lead to a double dissolution of both houses of parliament - and be decided by the Australian voting public.
The politics of the Union movement and the Australian Labor party are synonymous. The unions are an integral part of Labor's voting mechanism and the funds they gain from union membership dues goes a long way to funding that political parties election war fund. A heavy preponderance of Labor politicians come from a union background.
A century ago and many industries were a closed union shop. Joining a union was conditional on gaining employment and collective bargaining was prevalent in shipping and the waterfront, mining, agriculture, steel manufacturing and right across the Australian industrial spectrum. Since then membership has waned sharply and a handful of critical unions have turned sharply left wing and used their muscle to stifle industrial progress. The power of individual fiefdoms means that major projects are forced to the bargaining table and "deals " sorted out which deliver industrial peace in return for what can only be described as ransom !
Trade Unions are a necessary filter between industry and the average worker, and they go back to the "Tollpuddle martyrs " where a group of agricultural workers in England formed a union to fight against decreased pay - and were arrested and sentenced to be transported to Australia for seven years. The formation of unions here in Australia led to the battle of the Eureka Stockade and workers rights are firmly established by law in the tribunals of this country.
The problems of out of control union bosses is directly linked to the liaison between the unions and the Australian Labor party. One half of Australian politics shields it's creature from sensible legislative control by blocking any legislation that the unions oppose. The Labor party itself seems the natural destination for senior union figures when selection for office nomination occurs - and it's front bench is heavy with those who previously served in the union movement. As a consequence, any sort of union control is anathema to Labor when it comes to a vote.
Some countries - and Germany in particular - have managed to achieve industrial peace and consequently the German economy outshines the rest of Europe. Unions representatives often sit on the board of successful companies and sensible compromises achieve the sort of balance that is lacking in Australia. The union movement here needs to shed it's thugs and hand control back to it's members, but that will be bitterly resisted by the coterie with their hands on the levers of control and the political party which depends on the movement for it's funding and power.
What lays ahead is a critical tactical battle. The courts need to go after the law breakers in the union movement but Labor will try to have this interpreted as a purely political attack on it's legitimacy. Moves to bring the union movement under control will hinge on the voting in the Senate, and eventually that will rest in the hands of the Australian voting public, either at the next general election or possibly by way of a double dissolution - if that becomes necessary.
Australia's success as a world trading nation probably rests on which side wins that tactical battle !
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