Resolution Mediation

IN a violent escalation of the West Gate Bridge industrial dispute, a brick wrapped in a threatening note was allegedly thrown through the window of the suburban Melbourne home of a VicRoads employee on Thursday afternoon.

The note was addressed to “John Holland Scab”. It reads: “We know where you live … we know what you drive.

“Stop the scabs. We know what you do. We will win this. We always do. We have your photo. We know what you do. Put a stop to all this now we will be watching you.”

VicRoads confirmed yesterday there had been an incident concerning one of its employees on Thursday. Police are understood to be investigating.

The threat is a clear sign that mediation between construction giant John Holland and the Construction Forestry Mining and Energy Union and the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union has broken down, less than a week after the parties began talks.

Speaking on Melbourne’s 3AW radio yesterday morning, John Holland group manager of human resources and operations Stephen Sasse said the unions had not been prepared to compromise. “I can confirm that we withdrew from the mediation process on Wednesday evening; essentially we found that the unions were simply not prepared to move on any of their claims,” Mr Sasse said.

The six-week dispute has held up strengthening work on the West Gate Bridge, with all construction, except for the establishment of anti-suicide barriers, grinding to a halt.

Mr Sasse said the unions had demanded the reinstatement of 38 CFMEU and AMWU workers sacked before Christmas because they refused to accept John Holland’s terms of employment.

“We certainly don’t want to expose our staff and our supervision to people who may well be found to have made threats against them or their families,” Mr Sasse said.

A spokesman for the CFMEU would not comment on the status of the mediation but said: “The CFMEU is not aware of this incident. The union does not condone such behaviour.”

Speaking at the Melbourne Press Club last week, the new Chief Commissioner of Victoria Police, Simon Overland, said authorities were concerned bikies might have been present at the West Gate Bridge protest.

Following news of this latest alleged threat, Opposition industrial relations spokesman Robert Clark called on Premier John Brumby to condemn violent and illegal conduct by unions and to expel unions with a record of violence and intimidation.

“Victorians would be disgusted that an innocent VicRoads employee and his family have been subject to violence, intimidation and threats simply because he is doing his job on behalf of the community, yet John Brumby still refuses to take action to end this lawless conduct,” Mr Clark said.

“John Brumby needs to take tough action against union intimidation and thuggery to stop Victoria sinking back into an industrial dark age of union militancy and disruption.”

http://www.timesheraldonline.com/news/ci_12252183

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