More than 10,000 workers downed tools across Australia on Tuesday to march through capital cities in protest over the federal takeover of the CFMEU.
The workplace umpire urged employers to report employees who walked off the job in support of the union.
“After national rallies today, employers are encouraged to notify the Fair Work Ombudsman of any potential unlawful industrial action at their workplace,” the ombudsman said.
Workers face tough penalties due to the unprotected action, with the Fair Work Ombudsman warning that those who failed to turn up or walked off the job without permission could be in breach of workplace laws.
Employers are legally required to deduct four hours pay for people who show up to unprotected action, even if they were gone for less than that time.
A spokesperson for the CFMEU administrator said the union was no longer involved in the planning of the protest and reiterated “the taking of unprotected industrial action is not lawful”.
Sacked Queensland and Northern Territory branch leader Michael Ravbar used the Brisbane rally to announce he was launching a high court challenge against the laws “as a matter of urgency”.
Ravbar told the rally he would be the applicant for the case. He was one of 21 Queensland leaders sacked in order to make way for an administrator.
“This is going to be the biggest challenge and the biggest fight that we’ve ever had, but we’re all up for it,” Ravbar said. “You’ve got to get control of your union back. You will never allow a government takeover again.”
A series of leaders of blue-collar unions including the Maritime Union of Australia, the Rail, Tram and Bus Union, and the Electrical Trades Union spoke at the Brisbane rally in support of the CFMEU.
“The ETU is redirecting all funds of that might have previously gone to the ALP towards a challenge against this legislation,” the ETU state secretary, Peter Ong, said.
The ETU Victorian secretary, Troy Gray, told the rally in Melbourne there were three or four legal challenges brewing, with five unions funding them.
Marchers were also addressed by federal Greens MP Max Chandler-Mather, who told them 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,” he said.
“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.”
There was a sign on stage at the Brisbane rally that depicted a cartoon of the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, made up to look like Hitler – and several similar signs in the crowd before the demonstration finished early in the afternoon.
About 5,000 Construction, Forestry and Maritime Employees Union members gathered outside Melbourne’s Trades Hall as a rally got under way in the union’s hometown on Tuesday morning.
Gray said the size of the crowd reflected workers both inside and outside the CFMEU.
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Wielding signs such as “Hands off the CFMEU” while dressed in hi-vis and work gear, protesters waved union flags as they shut down parts of the CBD.
“When I say union, you say power,” they chanted.
The Victorian industrial relations minister, Tim Pallas, said he hadn’t tried to caution workers against going ahead with the rally, saying that was an employer’s responsibility.
“We would urge people to get back to work as soon as possible,” he told reporters at state parliament on Tuesday.
“What they shouldn’t do is take action that is unlawful.”
In Sydney, more than 5,000 union members shut down parts of the city, as well as entry to the New South Wakes Parliament, shouting “union power” and “fuck Albo”.
The Maritime Union national secretary, Paddy Crumlin, spoke, dubbing the government’s action a “massive busting up of unions”.
“This is an attack on every working man and woman,” he said.
Deposed state secretary Darren Greenfield attacked the peak trade union body, the ACTU, and its leader, Sally McManus.
“Sally McManus is a sellout,” he said as boos rang out. “We pay her to look after us and she sold us out for the Labor party.”
The action comes days after the union was placed into administration by the federal attorney general, Mark Dreyfus, amid allegations of links to organised crime and corruption in the construction arm.
Earlier on Tuesday, the federal treasurer, Jim Chalmers, urged protesters to be peaceful.