'F---ing oath he is': Union members say John Setka is here to stay
After one too many loose-lipped comments from their esteemed leader, it was a closed shop at CFMMEU Victoria headquarters in Melbourne on Thursday morning.
Men, and it was almost entirely men, many clothed in black hoodies and T-shirts bearing slogans such as "We built this city" and "If you don't fight, you lose", politely declined to talk about their embattled boss John Setka.
"No comment, darlin'," one clean-cut, smiling union official said.
The regular monthly meeting of union shop stewards, which one official estimated involved about 200 delegates, lasted nearly two hours.
And it was clear Mr Setka, who was present at the meeting, had the support of the room. "Yep, pretty unanimous," one official said outside the building.
It emerged later that delegates had endorsed Mr Setka's leadership and called for a public statement of support from the national office of the Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union of Mr Setka's leadership.
The meeting also endorsed a call for an "independent audit" of phone records to identify the alleged leaker to The Age and Sydney Morning Herald from last week's national executive meeting of the union.
When asked if Mr Setka was going to remain leader of the powerful union one delegate, who wandered outside for a sneaky smoko during the meeting, was adamant.
"F---ing oath he is," the man said. "There is no good reason for him to step down."
Another young delegate who left the meeting early almost danced down the street. "Johnny? He's the man, he's the man," he called back.
After the meeting, many of the delegates gathered outside for a quick chat and a smoke. And while there were plenty of raised palms, pursed lips and shakes of the head when asked about the meeting and Mr Setka's future, the mood was upbeat.
Mr Setka, meanwhile, left the building in his black SUV bound for another, perhaps not so convivial, meeting with ACTU secretary Sally McManus.