CFMEU forced to deal with organised crime-linked companies, inquiry told
Former CFMEU administrator Mark Irving KC has told an inquiry the union protected its members by engaging with companies linked to organised crime.
Mark Irving, a former CFMEU administrator, testified before a Queensland commission of inquiry about the union's interactions with companies associated with organised crime. Mr. Irving stated that the CFMEU often had no choice but to engage with such employers to protect its members, as cutting ties could leave workers unprotected.
The CFMEU entered an enterprise agreement with Form Solutions Australia, a Victorian company linked to Comanchero member Bemir Saracevic, in July 2026. Mr. Irving argued that the union does not want to engage with organised crime, but the lack of a publicly available list of members controlled by the Comanchero gang makes it difficult to avoid such employers.
The inquiry heard that the CFMEU had to enter into enterprise agreements with major construction companies linked to organised crime to ensure its members were represented and protected. Mr. Irving rejected suggestions that the union remains in bed with organised crime, calling those claims "wildly incorrect and false."
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