CFMEU drama hits week two, hotter than a Friday pub punch-on
Week one was just the warm-up. Week two of the CFMEU inquiry has turned up the heat, with serious allegations, internal warfare, and a vibe that feels closer to a pub brawl than a modern union. And yeah, it matters on site, whether you like union politics or not.
When things go sideways at the top, it’s the jobsite that feels it first.
If week one felt tense, week two went full boil. Testimony painted a picture of direct intimidation, being followed, face-to-face confrontations, and an internal war that has been simmering for years. One rival union official told the inquiry she feared for her own safety and her family’s, describing constant pressure and harassment. There were accounts of being leaned on at public events and even reports of being followed, the kind of stuff that sounds more like a bad true-crime documentary than a workplace dispute.
What came out this round does not sound like crossed wires or exaggerated gossip. The stories point to sustained intimidation, constant pressure and a union culture that, according to witnesses, has been out of control for a long time, It is messy, And it is not a good look.
“Why should I care?” Because this stuff never stays contained
That reaction is common on site. “I’m not in the CFMEU.” “That’s someone else’s problem.” “Just let me work.” Fair enough. But these fights never stay locked inside boardrooms and legal filings. When union drama escalates, it leaks onto site, you feel it in delays, arguments and the general mood. Side glances. Quiet comments. A tension no one asked for but everyone ends up carrying. No one works the same when the air is thick, and no one wants to be stuck in the middle of a war they did not start.
“When union drama spins out of control, it never stays in the offices. It always lands back on site”
Old ghosts turning into real problems
This inquiry did not come out of nowhere: It follows years of scandals, worker complaints, stalled investigations and repeated controversies that already had the CFMEU under the microscope. Senior figures falling from grace have been joined by fresh testimony that points to a closed, aggressive and heavily compromised internal culture.
For plenty of people in the industry, none of this is shocking. It feels more like confirmation of what has been quietly discussed in lunch rooms and pubs for years. Now it is all on the record, and what is coming out is ugly. What’s different this time is that it’s being said under oath, in public, and on the record.
This is only just getting started
This is not a calming statement. The inquiry is still rolling, more witnesses are coming forward and the sense is that there are more rotten layers yet to be peeled back. There is no clear resolution in sight. While arguments rage in hearing rooms, the diesel engines keep running. Work goes on, but with a feeling that something is off.
This is not about picking sides or ticking boxes in an online poll. For tradies, the issue is basic. Being able to work without getting dragged into a circus. There are already enough headaches on site. What people want is stability, a clear run at the job, and a normal day’s work without extra noise hanging over their heads.
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This is not a story about wealthy people whinging over expensive finishes. This is about ironclad contracts, untouchable builders and a client who says he was left with a rubbish penthouse and then threatened on top of it. The video has already gone viral, and what it shows is hard to ignore while the whole industry watches. This is exactly the kind of yarn that gets passed around on smoko, coffee in hand.