Thousands of workers and their comrades from unions, including electrical trades, maritime and manufacturing, are expected to down tools on Wednesday and march through major cities to express their displeasure over the federal takeover of the Construction, Forestry and Maritime Employees Union.

The union is facing allegations that the construction and general division was involved in criminal and corrupt conduct, as uncovered by Nine newspapers earlier in 2024.

Demonstrations will begin from 11am at Trades Hall in Melbourne and Belmore Park in Sydney.

More than 60,000 workers assembled across the nation in August, when up to 50,000 CFMEU members gathered outside Melbourne’s Trades Hall.

A further 8000 attended in Sydney, with around 4000 in Brisbane.

Meanwhile, CFMEU administrator Mark Irving has promised detailed investigations to expose the grip outlaw motorcycle gangs and organised criminals have on the union’s construction arm.

After receiving a damning report into the Victorian branch, which indicated it was laden with violence and intimidation, he committed to establishing an integrity unit in Victoria.

The body will investigate a growing number of allegations and also scrutinise the relationships between suppliers and former senior union officials within the state.

Other branches in NSW, Queensland and South Australia will also be scrutinised over the extent of bikie and organised crime involvement within their construction industries.

Questions around whether union officials breached conflicts of interest by accepting unlawful kickbacks and secret benefits as well as transfers of funds to and from the union, including the use of charity trusts, will be under the microscope.

Employment and Workplace Relations Minister Murray Watt is also set to speak at the National Press Club on Wednesday, outlining his government’s workplace reforms.