The Victorian branch of the CFMEU, one of Australia's biggest and most powerful unions, has been placed in administration, its secretary has stepped down, and allegations of misconduct have been referred to the police and the state's anti corruption body.

This comes at a time when union membership has undergone a substantial decline. In the 1970s, more than 55 per cent of workers belonged to a union. Now that number is below 15 per cent.

Distinguished Professor Anthony Forsyth and Professor Bradon Ellem discuss the role of the unions in an era of short-term job contracts and an increasingly digital economy.

And what does the news around the Victorian CFMEU mean for our trust in these institutions?