Two key unions turn on Labor before Victorian election

By the Editorial Team · Thursday, October 29, 2026

Two major Victorian unions, the Australian Services Union and the Electrical Trades Union, have withdrawn campaign support from the state Labor government ahead of the November 28 election. This move reflects deepening union dissatisfaction over policy disputes and declining Labor popularity, potentially weakening Premier Ben Carroll’s chances of securing a fourth term.

Two key unions in Victoria have withdrawn crucial support from the state Labor government as the November 28 election approaches, signaling internal dissent within the party’s traditional base. The Australian Services Union (ASU) has launched attack advertisements targeting Premier Ben Carroll, while the Electrical Trades Union (ETU) has decided to withhold campaign funding and grassroots support this election cycle.

The Labor-aligned ASU began running ads accusing Carroll of dishonesty. The ads highlight the Premier with bold text stating “Ben lied. Labor lies,” focusing on his government’s reversal of a promised increase to council rate caps—a policy the ASU claims had been agreed to under former Premier Jacinta Allan. The rate cap has constrained local councils’ ability to increase wages for their workers, a key concern of the union. Carroll’s administration scrapped the proposal shortly after he replaced Allan, citing worries it would drive up living costs for non-council employees.

Alongside the advertising campaign, the ASU confirmed it would not engage in door-to-door canvassing for Labor in the final weeks of the campaign. Tash Wark, secretary of the ASU’s Victorian branch, said the union would reconsider its position if the government reversed course. “Nobody at the ASU wanted to be running ads against Labor MPs,” Wark said. “We won’t be doing that while the government ignores the people who deliver council services.”

A spokesperson for the Victorian government defended Carroll, accusing the opposition of planning harsh cuts to public sector jobs and worker benefits should they win. “Ben Carroll is fighting for working people,” the spokesperson said.

Meanwhile, the ETU state council passed a resolution to abstain from running a statewide campaign in support of Labor this election, redirecting resources instead to legal and member support ahead of an ongoing royal commission investigating alleged corruption in the state’s major infrastructure projects. The union cited internal polling predicting Labor would win only 25 seats—significantly fewer than previously forecast—and noted a decline in Labor’s support following leadership changes earlier this year.

The ETU’s move is notable given the union’s strong financial and organizational backing of Labor in 2022, when it spent over $1.6 million on campaign advertising and relied on the Labor-aligned agency Creative Edge to produce election materials. No paid advertisements have been publicly released by the ETU for the 2026 election. A source within the ETU, speaking on the condition of anonymity, acknowledged growing frustration within the union movement toward Labor in recent months.

One Labor MP, also speaking anonymously, criticized the ETU’s position as reactionary. “They’re throwing the toys out of the cot because they didn’t get their way,” the MP said.

Carroll is pursuing a fourth consecutive term for Labor amid polling that shows the party trailing the Coalition 44% to 55% on a two-party preferred basis. The increasing support for the One Nation party adds further uncertainty to the election outcome. The withdrawal of active support from influential unions could pose additional challenges for Labor in maintaining its hold on government.

This article was reported by synthesizing coverage from multiple independent news outlets to present a balanced, unbiased account. Read about our editorial standards. Spotted an error? Let us know.