There are no immediate plans to stand down CFMEU members with alleged criminal links despite accusations being referred to police and integrity authorities amid an internally-commissioned investigation.
The powerful union's Victorian branch has been placed into administration following days of media reports of links between construction projects and organised crime in addition to outlaw motorcycle gang members acting as delegates.
The federal government says all options including deregistration are on the table and allegations have been referred to Victoria Police and the state's anti-corruption watchdog.
CFMEU national secretary Zach Smith said he wouldn't "jump the gun" and stand anyone down while the union finalised its investigation, to be done by outside lawyers.
He said the union would consider requiring officials to stand down "if appropriate".
"If any credible allegations are brought forward we will investigate them and if people have done the wrong thing they will be removed from their position," Mr Smith told AAP.
He said the union was "not a safe harbour for criminal organisations to infiltrate" and pushed back at efforts to de-register it.
"We don't think there's any need for further government intervention. The CFMEU and trade union movement are not just capable but more than ready to manage our own affairs and respond to allegations of this nature."
Australian Council of Trade Unions executives will meet on Wednesday to discuss the allegations, with secretary Sally McManus pushing for individuals accused of criminal behaviour to stand down.
"There is no place, no place whatsoever, for criminal activity in unions," she told reporters in Melbourne.
"We want to see a functioning and strong and corruption-free union in the building industry."
The bulk of the allegations concern Victoria, with Premier Jacinta Allan ordering an independent review and asking Labor's national executive to suspend the union's construction arm from the state party.
She requested the party immediately stop accepting donations from the CFMEU and called on the federal government to consider terminating enterprise agreements on Victorian construction sites to prevent criminal activity.
The head of the Victorian branch of the CFMEU John Setka quit suddenly on Friday night, citing "false accusations" and "malicious attacks".
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese welcomed news of the branch being placed into administration and said it needed "to clean up their act".
"That's a good next step but we need further action and we need to make sure that results in an isolation and both action in terms of the law but also action within the union," he told ABC Radio.
He said the allegations raised were a betrayal of union members.
"If there are any breaches of the law, they need to be prosecuted to the fullest extent and people need to be held to account," Mr Albanese said.
"I have contempt for someone like John Setka, he has no legitimate role in the union movement."
Shadow treasurer Angus Taylor said the government, as the Labor Party, must stop taking donations from the union, deregister the CFMEU and re-establish the Australian Building and Construction Commission, which it abolished in 2023.
"Actions speak louder than words," he told Nine's Today program.
"And the Labor Party's been very close to the CFMEU."
