Union corruption: Labor’s stooges Jacqui Lambie, Glenn Lazarus and Ricky Muir block bill
LABOR has been accused of running a “protection racket” for the union movement after blocking legislation that would have forced corrupt union officials to face the same penalties as company directors.
At the same time as calling for the respected chief of the royal commission into union corruption to stand down over claims of political bias, the opposition stopped a fair work amendment bill passing through the Senate that would have held criminal unionists to account.
Labor managed to throw up the union roadblock by one vote after securing the support of the Greens and crossbenchers Jacqui Lambie, Glenn Lazarus and Ricky Muir.
The bill would have established a Registered Organisations Commission, which would have brought union officials in line with company directors, meaning they could be fined $360,000 instead of $10,800 for rorting workers.
Labor and its allies also blocked the re-establishment of the Australian Building and Construction Commission.
Prime Minister Tony Abbott yesterday accused Labor of running a protection racket for the union movement.
“It’s about securing the rule of law on construction sites and again that was blocked by members opposite. I say to members opposite, stop running a protection racket,’’ Mr Abbott said in parliament.
“Be very careful trying to protect from public exposure their union mates who for too long have been ripping off honest workers to protect themselves.”
