His union is about to pay out $3.5 million in legal fees but official John Setka stands by the call to blockade Grocon's building sites in Melbourne's CBD.
The Construction Forestry Mining and Energy Union will make the payment to settle a case over illegal blockades of Melbourne building sites, including the Myer Emporium, in 2012.
"We didn't put ourselves above the law," John Setka, the Victorian state secretary of the CFMEU's construction division, argued.
"(If) it meant breaking the law to save lives, I would do it every day of the week."
Mr Setka, who wasn't running the Victorian branch at the time, supported the 2012 Grocon blockade which he said was about safety.
"I don't think we went too far," he told Melbourne radio 3AW on Monday.
The union ignored court orders to stop a blockade of the Emporium site, leading to court action between Grocon and the CFMEU.
"They asked for $12 million damages, we just pay the legal fees," Mr Setka said.
He also said he wouldn't resign from his union position, although it "hurts" paying out millions in legal fees with another potential settlement looming with Boral.
Grocon executive chairman Daniel Grollo said the company had been arguing for a decade for the rule of law to apply on building sites.
"We are pleased that the legal process has resulted in a commercial resolution of this matter," Mr Grollo said in a statement.
Victoria's Labor Premier Daniel Andrews said the CFMEU should have obeyed the courts.
"At the time I said it was wrong that anyone should thumb their nose at the federal court, or any court, and I stand by those comments," he said.
Mr Andrews would not comment on whether the union should be deregistered, referring that to the trade union royal commission.
Opposition leader Matthew Guy said Mr Andrews should disassociate himself from the CFMEU, which he said contributes millions in donations to Victorian Labor.
"He is beholden to the roughest union in town," Mr Guy said.
Mr Setka and Mr Andrews separately confirmed they had never met or spoken to each other.
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