Industrial Relations Minister Kelly O'Dwyer has angrily rebuked Victorian CFMEU official John Setka for a "vile slur" which she says likens the federal government to Nazi Germany.
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Mr Setka posted the Martin Luther King Jr quote "never forget that everything Hitler did in Germany was legal" alongside a picture of a major union rally to social media.
The post also included quotes from Thomas Jefferson - about the obligation to disobey unjust laws - and Mahatma Gandhi who said an unjust law was a species of violence.
But Ms O'Dwyer was outraged, calling on Labor leader Bill Shorten to condemn the mention of Adolf Hitler.
"His vile slur against the Federal Govt likening it to the Hitler regime is beyond repugnant," Ms O'Dwyer tweeted.
The spat between the union heavyweight and the minister erupted ahead of thousands of workers hitting the streets on Tuesday to campaign for changes to workplace laws.
The ACTU estimates 150,000 people will rally in Melbourne and thousands more in Sydney, Darwin, Wollongong, Cairns, Townsville and other regional centres.
Labor MP Graham Perrett hit back at Ms O'Dwyer, telling her to get over herself.
"Mr Setka merely put up a well known quote pointing out citizens should speak up when laws are unjust," Mr Perrett tweeted.
"You know what's truly 'beyond repugnant' - your government deifying privilege and trying to crush this nation's egalitarian spirit."
In September, Mr Setka apologised after posting a picture of his children holding a sign saying 'Go get f*#*ed' with the caption "Leave our dads alone and go catch the real criminals you cowards".
The controversy sparked a tense debate with Prime Minister Scott Morrison threatening to deregister the construction union.
Mr Setka, who is the Victorian secretary of the union, deleted that post saying he was emotional on Father's Day after a tough year on his family.
Australian Associated Press
