FED: BLF s rebirth to be decided tomorrow

AAP General News (Australia)
08-09-1999
FED: BLF s rebirth to be decided tomorrow

The Builders Labourers' Federation may be re-born tomorrow, but only if the Australian
Industrial Relations Commission thinks it's overcome stiff opposition from other unions and
employers.

Moves to seek registration for the proposed Australian Building Construction Demolition
Employees and Builders Labourers Federation - ABCDE and BLF for short - have been bitterly
opposed by both groups.

They claim the ABCDE and BLF would overlap existing unions, causing demarcation disputes
and industrial havoc.

Unions fear a wide-ranging membership criteria would allow widespread poaching if the new
group is formed.

Employers fear the ABCDE and BLF would adopt the lawless tactics of its namesake, the BLF,
which was forcibly deregistered by a special act of Victoria's state government in 1986.

The new union has denied there are any links with the former BLF, saying unions are simply
afraid of competition.

AAP RTV ag/ra/kbw/wz

KEYWORD: BLF (MELBOURNE)

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