AAP has filed on the CFMEU protests in Melbourne:
Hundreds of construction workers and their supporters have stormed their union’s headquarters in Melbourne, protesting against new mandatory vaccination rules for the building industry.
Protesters wearing hi-visibility workwear gathered outside the Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union head office on Elizabeth Street in the city on Monday morning.
Chanting “f*** the jab”, those rallying are against having to show proof of their vaccination to be allowed back on building sites, with some saying they would rather the entire construction industry be shut down.
A sign with “my body my choice” can be seen among the protesters.
There is currently a 25% cap on the industry’s workforce in Victoria, with tradies required to have had their first dose of a vaccine by this Thursday to be allowed back to work.
Monday’s protest escalated when two union officials, including Victorian construction branch secretary John Sekta, came outside to speak to protesters just before midday.
Setka was met with boos and insults from the crowd, while some protesters hurled bottles.
“Please calm down, can you at least give me the respect to talk. We’re not the enemy, I don’t know what you have heard,” he says to protesters, in a video posted to social media.
“I have never, ever said I support mandatory vaccination.”
The protesters then called for the CFMEU leader to “stand up or stand down” and yelled “we are one”.
Once Setka went back inside, the protesters smashed a glass door to the building.
By 1pm the protest had swelled to fill both sides of Elizabeth Street, with union delegates standing at the front of the building to stop protesters from entering.
Rain and hail has not deterred the protesters, with calls for Setka to come back outside and march with them.
Some of those rallying say they will come to the CFMEU office every day until the union bows to their demands.
Just before 2pm a protester went inside to meet with union officials.
Police are gathered around the rally and have blocked off parts of the road, but do not appear to be moving protesters on.
It is unclear whether all of those protesting are construction workers, as a message on the Melbourne Freedom Rally Telegram group encouraged anti-lockdown protesters to join them.
“If you are in the area and wish to support these guys head down,” a Telegram message said.
Another said: “If you got a high vis just get down there NUMBERS!”.
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews told reporters in Melbourne during his daily coronavirus update the protests were “not smart, they are not safe”.
“This industry is open at 25%, we want to get to 50, being vaccinated is an incredibly important part of that,” Mr Andrews said.
“Protests don’t work. Getting vaccinated works, following the rules works. That’s how you stay open, that’s how you get open.”
Monday’s protests come after construction workers set up plastic chairs and tables in the middle of streets across Melbourne on Friday, protesting against the lockdown restrictions that included shutting down tea rooms for morning breaks.
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A statement provided to the Guardian by the CFMEU’s QLD/NT branch, the Electrical Trades Union, the Plumbing and Pipe Trades Employees Union, and the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union, stressed they were not opposed to vaccinations but that “construction unions oppose any blanket ‘no jab-no job’ laws which would penalise workers and remove a person’s right to make informed personal choices”.
“The Building Trades Group of unions in no way underestimates the public health challenges in managing a deadly virus such as Covid-19, but punitive measures that create two classes of citizens is not a path out of this pandemic.
“We strongly support and have followed the health advice that has helped keep Queenslanders safe and our members working, even during periods of restrictions and lockdown.
“Ultimately though, medical decisions must be a matter for an individual acting on the advice of their doctor, and workers should not be punished for acting according to their own personal circumstances.”