On August 27, tens of thousands of construction workers and their supporters across Australia rallied to condemn the ALP government’s appointment of an administrator to control the Construction division of the Construction, Forestry and Maritime Employees Union (CFMEU).

The rallies were deemed “unprotected industrial action” for workers who walked off the job, according to the Fair Work Commission, which exposes striking workers to punishment from their employers.

The CFMEU has been in the sights of successive governments because of its record of improving pay and conditions. It was targeted through a Royal Commission into the building industry from 2001 to 2003, and then through the Australian Building and Construction Commission (ABCC), which acted like a secret police force in the industry from 2005. Despite this long history of government witch hunting, no major legal finding has been made against the CFMEU.

The appointment of the administrator is authorised by amendments to the Fair Work Act  that were passed on August 19 with support from the Coalition. The legislation came in response to a malicious media campaign initiated by Nine News.

As soon as high-flying lawyer Mark Irving KC took on the job of administrator, he sacked 270 CFMEU staff. Only the Western Australian and Australian Capital Territory branches have not been placed under administration.

The strength of anger was obvious at the rallies

The ABC News reporter at the Melbourne event, speaking before the march to the Fair Work Commission had begun, estimated that there were at least 15,000 people there, with huge numbers streaming in. Rally organisers put the eventual number up to 60,000 in Melbourne.

Supporters from many unions attended. There was strong support from the Electrical Trades Union (ETU), the Rail, Bus and Tram Union and the Plumbing and Pipe Trades Employees Union. Also highly visible were contingents from the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union, the United Workers Union, the Health and Community Services Union, the Retail and Fast Food Workers Union, the Australian Services Union and the National Tertiary Education Union.

Progressive community groups such as the Renters and Housing Union, Trade Unionists for Palestine and Free Palestine Melbourne were visible.

Sydney’s Martin Place was over-crowded with demonstrators. When they reached NSW Parliament House, where according to Ten News they packed the length of Macquarie Street, they heard from sacked NSW state secretary Darren Greenfield.

The Sydney Morning Herald quoted him as describing the ALP as “rotten” and calling on workers to “vote the bastards out” at the next election.

The Brisbane rally was so large it flooded out of Queen’s Gardens and occupied three major CBD streets.

Federal Greens MP Max Chandler-Mather told the Brisbane rally that the government had established a blueprint on how to seize control of a civil movement or union,

“Labor has used these untested allegations to attack an entire union … You will be dismissed as radicals … but it’s not radical to believe that a construction worker should be afforded a fair trial like a CEO, banker or a politician. The real radicals are the Labor and Liberal politicians on untested allegations who are doing this as judge, jury and executioner.”

In Perth, ETU state secretary Peter Carter told the crowd that he had never felt so betrayed in all his life as he did following the ALP’s attack on the CFMEU. He drew attention to the fact that the CFMEU not only protected jobs, safety and conditions in the construction industry but advanced a broader agenda of working-class rights.

ABC News reported similar sentiments spoken by Cairns ETU organiser, Rob Hill. “I have literally never been more betrayed as a worker in my life. They need to be held to account forever,” he told hundreds of workers outside the office of Labor Senator Nita Green.

The workers’ anger towards the ALP is clearly seen in a video posted on the Queensland and Northern Territory CFMEU Facebook page. In it an experienced rank-and-file construction worker, Gav, describes his anger about the betrayal of his union.

The accusations against the union are “a beat up”, according to Gav: “If they succeed in crushing us, look at everyone else.” Gav warned the ALP to enjoy its time in opposition, “because you’re going to be there a bloody long time.”