John Setka is an Australian trade unionist who has been the Secretary of the Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union (CFMMEU) Victoria since 2012.
He has been involved in union activities for over three decades and has a reputation for being a controversial figure.
Setka was born on 9 September 1964 in Melbourne, Australia, and grew up in a working-class family. He left school at the age of 15 and began working in construction, eventually joining the CFMEU in 1987.
He became an official of the union in 1996 and was elected Secretary of the Victorian branch in 2012.
Setka has been involved in several high-profile disputes and campaigns throughout his career, including the 2012 Grocon blockade and the 2019 dispute with Boral.
He has also been a vocal advocate for workers‘ rights and has campaigned against workplace safety issues, exploitation of workers, and wage theft.
However, Setka has been a controversial figure due to several incidents that have attracted media attention. In 2018, he pleaded guilty to charges of harassing a woman via text message and was fined.
In 2019, he was charged with additional offences relating to allegations of domestic violence, which he denied. These charges were later withdrawn, but Setka was still heavily criticized for his conduct.
Setka’s leadership and actions have been a source of division within the Australian Labor Party, with some calling for his expulsion from the party due to his behaviour.
Despite this, Setka has remained a prominent figure in the CFMMEU and the Australian union movement.
John Setka Parents: Meet Bob Setka John Setka’s father
John Setka was born to a Croatian family. His father was a labourer named Bob Setka, who survived the West Gate Bridge collapse in 1970, one worst industrial accidents caused by employer negligence in Victoria’s history.
Setka began working as a labourer at the age of 19. He began involvement with trade unionism first after joining the Builders Labourers Federation.
source:ghanaianexpress.com
