The Victorian branch of the Electrical Trades Union (ETU) has apologised for the latest member magazine which contains references to Nazi Germany in an article on the minister for employment, Eric Abetz, and compares the actions of Abetz with those of his great uncle, a convicted war criminal.

The apology did not extend to the cover of the magazine, which shows a photoshopped image of Tony Abbott wearing a white singlet and gold chain, and with a partially visibly tattoo resembling the Third Reich eagle symbol.

On the back page of the magazine is a picture of Adolf Hitler with quotes from the Nazi leader and Joseph Goebbels railing against unions.

Abetz’s great uncle was a high-ranking Nazi ambassador to occupied France, and was imprisoned for 20 years as a war criminal. The ETU article, titled “Know your enemy – Eric Abetz” mentions Abetz’s great-uncle and states: “While not suggesting Eric is to blame for his family’s role in massacring innocent people, we note that Eric fondly refers to the heinous criminal as ‘Uncle Otto’ – stating that he was tried for war crimes and ‘did his time’. Any similarities in the callous inhumanity of Eric and Otto, that lead them to demonise and persecute minority groups, must be coincidental.”

Victorian secretary Troy Gray told News Corp Australia on Thursday he was not embarrassed by the magazine and the union had received “fantastic feedback” on its Facebook page. But by Friday morning a brief apology appeared on the ETU Victoria website and the Facebook link had been removed.

“The ETU Autumn 2014 members' magazine had an article which may have caused offence to some people,” it read.

“The ETU sincerely and unreservedly apologises. The theme of the magazine was to show the demonisation of unions has had a long history.”

The whole magazine remained on the ETU Victoria website on Friday afternoon.

The cover article on Abbott, headlined “Abbott’s crime” detailed the government’s actions relating to industrial relations and work rights since September’s election.

“26 February – Introduces legislation to allow 17- to 24-year-olds to be exploited on half the minimum wage and be exempted from all other work rights, including health and safety laws and protections, should they be injured at work,” one entry states.

Gray, and the offices of the prime minister, did not return calls for comment.

The opposition leader, Bill Shorten, said the comments were “highly offensive”, in a statement provided to Guardian Australia.

"The Victorian branch of the ETU is not affiliated with the federal Labor party,” it read. “The union should apologise unreservedly.”

Abetz made no complaint to the union and has not received an apology beyond the website post, a spokeswoman told Guardian Australia. She said Abetz did not wish to comment further on the matter.

