A BOMB threat against the union involved in a three-week industrial dispute with construction giant Grocon has come just days after it agreed to end its Footscray and city blockades.
Grocon chief executive Daniel Grollo said he intended to pursue the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU) through the courts — despite the union agreeing to end the blockades — claiming Grocon had lost about $7million during the dispute.
In a twist to the saga on Monday, police evacuated the CFMEU’s city headquarters after a bomb hoaxer made threats against union leaders.
The dispute emerged at the Footscray site of Grocon’s $350million McNab Avenue development last month.
Troubles erupted over tensions around the appointment of shop stewards and the right to display union flags and logos at Grocon sites. The dispute spread from Footscray and grew to envelope Grocon’s flagship $1.2billion Myer Emporium development in the city and led to clashes with dozens of police. A large number of police descended on the McNab Avenue site on Thursday before the union called off its blockade late that night. Mr Grollo said the company was happy to sit down with the CFMEU’s leadership to discuss any concerns. “We have agreed to discussions even though Grocon employees have said they have no issue with their employment conditions and do not support the union’s actions,” he said.
CFMEU construction division national secretary Dave Noonan said he was looking forward to “productive and good-faith talks with Grocon”. “Our members have protested peacefully to have the right to healthy and safe workplaces, and be represented by their union.”
CFMEU Victorian secretary Bill Oliver said the health and well-being of building workers has been the driving point of protests.
