Transport giant Linfox has stood down two union delegates who spoke out about alleged workplace bullying at Truganina.
More than 100 workers protested outside the Coles distribution centre last Wednesday in what was the second demonstration in three days.
National Union of Workers (NUW) delegates Michael Manolitsis and Ken Price were stood down indefinitely without pay after speaking to the media.
As Mr Price is an health and safety representative, federal WorkCover agency Comcare is investigating his standing down.
Mr Manolitsis, who has been at the Truganina site for three years, told the Weekly intimidation and bullying had “been going on for way too long”.
“We’ve had managers throwing people’s lunches in the bin, keys, private property,’’ he said. “Being late 30 seconds at work, locking the doors.
“Intimidating casuals against each other – you know, if they make a mistake, you can forget about your shift next week.’’
A St Albans worker, who the Weekly has chosen not to identify, said workers were too scared to report injuries. He said he had worked with a broken toe.
Former casual worker and Tarneit resident Penny Palmer said that after another casual worker called her a “f….ing whore,” they both received no more shifts.
“A full-time person came and asked me if I was OK; he just said that he reported it because that person shouldn’t have spoken to me like that. Then the next day, no work. And the agency didn’t know what happened.”
Linfox group communications manager Gary Max said two workers were stood down for conducting unauthorised interviews with the media.
“The NUW at this site has chosen to use the media to misrepresent issues,” he said.
“There are 700 people working at this site and recent complaints have come from this group of 200 people represented by the NUW.” Mr Max said the protests were a targeted campaign by the NUW to build its membership at ‘‘a site where the majority of people are affiliated with the Transport Workers Union’’.
