Since AWU Secretary Cesar Melhem did his dirty deals with the companies bidding for the Regional Rail Link he has been feeling the heat. 

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To get coverage, Melhem sold out industry standards including the 26 day RDO calendar and double time for all overtime. The CFMEU is seeking to have the agreements overturned.

After the West Gate dispute in 2009 the ACTU brokered a deal between unions to prevent a repeat. The CFMEU has kept to this agreement whie the AWU has just broken it.

Facing criticism from construction workers and the wider union movement, Melhem rushed out a leaflet claiming to be a comparison of AWU and CFMEU agreements. It’s not. It cites an old agreement between the CFMEU and John Holland (see table below for the facts).

AWU deals help Lib agenda

The sweetheart deals between the AWU and contractors bidding for the Regional Rail Link have played right into Ted Baillieu’s hands.

Baillieu has just released his ‘Code of Practice’ for State Government construction projects. It is a typical Liberal attack to cut conditions and take away your rights.

This is the time for a united front against the Libs. Instead, the AWU has gone off and done a deal that denies CFMEU members the right to be represented by their union.

Melhem's deal has sold out and divided workers at a time when strength and unity are needed.

What a load of rubbish!

The AWU comparison of agreements isn’t worth the paper it’s written on. It compares the new deal for the next four years of the Regional Rail Link with an expired EBA between John Holland and the CFMEU.

An honest comparison would stack the new 2011-15 CFMEU industry agreement up against the rail link agreement. This would show:

The rail link deal has slightly higher redundancy and super but so it should. Project agreements should improve on industry standards and the CFMEU has always been the pacesetter in this.

Why would workers pay dues to a union that sells them out and lies about it?

Stick with the CFMEU.