Labor MP Cesar Melhem accused over side deals

Yesterday, lawyers assisting the Trade Unions Royal Commission published their submissions about union official turned Labor MP, Cesar Melhem, suggesting Mr Melhem may be guilty of soliciting a “corrupt commission”.

We’ve now gone from allegations of rorting to allegations of criminal offences, with ordinary workers the victims.

This is about union officials repeatedly taking payments behind workers’ backs from companies with which the union was supposed to be negotiating on behalf of workers.

If Daniel Andrews has any concern for decency and honesty, he should be taking action now. He should be insisting that the Labor Party and the union movement clean up this mess and cut all ties with Mr Melhem.

It’s clear that sections of the Victorian union movement are riddled with rorting and abuse of office, and as Labor Premier of this state, Daniel Andrews needs to take action to fix it.

How can workers have any confidence in their union officials or in the Labor Party when union officials are taking these payments behind workers’ backs and yet a Labor Premier refuses to do anything about it.

The Labor Party claims to be the party for workers, but the longer Daniel Andrews refuses to act, the clearer it becomes that Labor are the party of union officials and rorters, and workers are just treated as pawns in their power games.

For today’s Herald Sun report on the Royal Commission submissions, see Labor MP accused of soliciting ‘corrupt payments’.