On behalf of UITBB, we condemn the criminal charges for blackmail brought against CFMEU officials John Sekta and Shaun Reardon for doing nothing more than fighting for better conditions for the workers.
Comrades John Sekta and Shaun Reardon, from Melbourne, Australia, have been charged with blackmail regarding the Union’s dispute with concrete company Boral.
The fact that these officials were arrested in front of their families on a Sunday morning, was obviously meant to inflict political damage to the Union.
We are certain that the CFMEU will stand up in defense of their comrades and that collective action to defeat this unacceptable attack on trade union rights will further strengthen the militant spirit of the CFMEU in its daily struggle to defend the interests of the workers in Australia.
We call upon the Australian federal government to stop promoting such unacceptable policies against the workers by using the Royal Commission, which has produced nothing but fiascoes so far.
UTIBB will stand next to CFMEU in whatever it takes and, in doing so, we have already asked from our affiliated unions around the world to send solidarity messages to Australia. We are also ready, if needed, to stage protests outside the Australian Embassies and Consulates globally, in order to demonstrate against the politicization of such matters.
12 December 2015
Michalis Papanikolaou