Paul Ferreira: Union organiser who called Prime Minister ‘Albo nazi’ leads Pilbara recruitment drive

A union organiser who called the Prime Minister “Albo nazi” is spearheading recruitment efforts in the Pilbara as unions push for collective bargaining allowed under the Federal Government’s new industrial relations laws. Paul Ferreira, who was “terminated” by the CFMEU in 2020 and is now an organiser with the Western Mine Workers Alliance, is the subject of a complaint lodged by BHP because of his recent behaviour on site. “After several complaints from members of our workforce, we formally raised concerns with the Australian Workers’ Union,” a BHP spokesman said. “The behaviour displayed by the individual while visiting our Pilbara sites, including disrespectful and inappropriate language, fell well short of our Code of Conduct.” Mr Ferreira called the complaint a “load of s...” when contacted by The West on Wednesday. “We seem to be getting some traction so they want to muddy the waters a bit,” he said. Rio Tinto and BHP have been the target of a campaign to introduce collective bargaining to the Pilbara, with 12 meetings called in a single week at Paraburdoo, Tom Price, Yandi and Whaleback mines. A Rio Tinto spokeswoman labelled collective bargaining unnecessary. “Our experience is that our existing approach helps drive productivity and wages growth,” she said. “This model has delivered for our people, our business and the Australian economy.” Shadow Minister for Workplace Relations Michaelia Cash blamed Federal Labor reforms for enabling hard-line tactics. “Having militant unions controlling the mining sector in the Pilbara will be a disaster for the West Australian and national economy,” she said. “The Albanese Government changed the laws to allow their union mates to have unfettered access. “It has now become obvious that Albanese’s union mates are flexing their muscles in the Pilbara with right of entry visits reaching an unprecedented level.” The West Australian has viewed social media posts by Mr Ferreira calling a female colleague a “s... c...”, telling a woman who complained “who the f... are you? a nobody” and using a nazi slur against Anthony Albanese. “To put a union into administration without laws broken is a nasty precedent AlboNazi has sent,” he wrote on LinkedIn in September. The Fair Work Commission wouldn’t comment on Mr Ferreira’s posts, but confirmed he had a valid fair work entry permit. When asked about his “Albo Nazi” post, Mr Ferreira refused to comment and referred questions to the union alliance, which called the language “unacceptable” but hit back at “corporate dirt units”. “The WMWA believes in upholding the values of civility,” a spokesman said. “This has been made very clear to Mr Ferreira. However, we also will not obediently dance to the tune of mining company corporate dirt units who would like to use some instances of unacceptable language as an excuse to get rid of a union organiser they know is effective and popular.” Mining bosses have complained that union site visits have “skyrocketed” and the Chamber of Minerals and Energy WA has described the Government’s “secure jobs, better pay” reforms as a “serious risk” to jobs and the viability of WA mines. “Union activity has clearly ramped up in the Pilbara,” CME Chief Executive Rebecca Tomkinson said. “CME has received reports about a marked increase in right of entry visits by union officials since the Federal Government’s IR changes became law. “There is an administrative cost associated with processing right of entry requests and each visit is disruptive. “Mining is a critical pillar of the State and national economy. Allowing unions to push that pillar over would be disastrous for jobs and send living standards backwards.” WA Treasurer Rita Saffioti said the State Government was lobbying Canberra to “get the right balance”. “There’s good discussions with both sides, with both industry and also unions,” she said. The Federal Government refused to comment on Mr Ferreira or Opposition criticism of its IR reforms, but defended last year’s decision to appoint an administrator to oversee the CFMEU. “(The administrator’s) team have made good progress to clean up the union and to ensure its members continue to be strongly represented,” a spokesman for Employment Minister Murray Watt said. “The Albanese Government fully supports the efforts of the administrator, along with union officials, members, workplace regulators and police authorities who are working very hard to rid the union and the wider construction industry of corruption and thuggery.” Ms Cash said other unions should not be beyond reproach. “Anthony Albanese wants to give control of the mining sector to his union mates, just like he gave control of the construction sector to the CFMEU with disastrous results,” she said. “If the unions force their way into one of the biggest wealth creating regions in our nation it will bring nothing but increased strike action, significant disruptions, cost blow-outs and a strong risk to future investment and competitiveness.”