In a massive “Line in the Sand” protest, the Building Industry Group of Unions (BIG) alliance brought tens of thousands of workers off jobs and onto city streets in Melbourne on September 18.

The BIG alliance unites the Construction Forestry and Maritime Employees Union (CFMEU), Australian Manufacturing Workers Union (AMWU), Electrical Trades Union of Australia (ETU, a division of the Communications Electrical and Plumbing Union, CEPU) and the Plumbing and Pipe Trades Employees Union (PPTEU) to fight against the federal Labor Government’s attacks on the CFMEU and to prevent construction bosses from taking advantage of the chaos to erode safety and wages in the construction industry.

The rally was called by a large joint delegates meeting of the BIG unions last week. The same meeting launched BIG’s Target 1000 Campaign – to secure 1000 EBAs in Victoria over the next 12 months.

Troy Gray, Victorian Branch secretary of the ETU, drew parallels between the Howard Liberal Government’s (failed) attempt to destroy the Maritime Union of Australia in 1998 with today’s attempts to destroy the CFMEU. Speaking from the platform, Gray also announced a possible follow up action – including a potential for a longer, 72 hour stoppage – if construction companies continue to drag their feet on signing up to EBAs.

Reluctance to sign or attempting to ignore existing EBA’s has become widespread since federal Labor passed draconian anti-union legislation and put the CFMEU construction division under administration in August.

The Melbourne protest, 60,000 strong according to organisers, was so long that it took fully 15 minutes to march past any point on Latrobe Street. Most workers were from the CFMEU, backed up by large contingents from the AMWU and ETU. Smaller contingents were also visible from the MUA (maritime division of the CFMEU) and the National Tertiary Education Union.

The strong turnout could bolster the CEPU’s (to which PPTEU is an affiliate) recent announcement of its disaffiliation from the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) and intention to establish a rival union confederation in opposition to the ACTU leadership’s support for Labor’s attacks on the CFMEU.

A large action also took place in Sydney.