By JOHN VAN KLAVEREN
The sacking of a road worker has left City Hall and the Australian Services Union (ASU) at loggerheads.
ASU branch co-ordinator Billy King said the union member was also an elected health and safety representative at City of Greater Geelong (COGG).
Mr King said the City terminated the member’s employment for reacting to a motorist’s unsafe and unlawful driving, which endangered the worker and his crew.
The union was concerned the City was “targeting” workers in “a pattern of behaviour” when they raised concerns around occupational health and safety issues, Mr King said.
“Based on the witness statements provided to the ASU by COGG, all the witnesses verify that the driver was breaking the law and putting workers in danger,” he said.
“It has been alleged that our member swore on two occasions but, given the circumstances, it’s not excessive and does not warrant termination.
“The fact that he was protecting himself and others by gesturing and raising his voice to a dangerous driver does not support the conclusions reached by COGG that he was deliberately verbally abusing a member of the public and does not form a sound basis on which to terminate his employment.
“Workers were forced to perform duties in the Brougham Street tunnel without a traffic management plan and the supervisor responsible didn’t even attend to see if it was safe to perform the work.
“The very next week the job was done again while our member was stood aside. This time, four vehicles crossed double lines and put workers in danger.
“We ask what action has been taken against the manager and team leader for allowing this situation to continue.
“The ASU is extremely disappointed and at a loss that City CEO Kelvin Spiller failed to meet with the ASU as requested to discuss the (situation) before any final decision was made on his employment.
“The ASU demands that our member be reinstated and that the CEO meet with us to hear our concerns.
“We hope that the recent announcement of a State Government investigation will bring these sort of unfair decisions to light.”
Mr Spiller said the City did not disclose details of employee matters in the interests of privacy.
“However, a decision to terminate any employee is not taken lightly and is only made after a rigorous process and in accordance with our policies, including our employee code of conduct,” Mr Spiller said.
“This is not a safety issue – it is an employee conduct issue.”
Mr Spiller said the City’s employees were encouraged to raise safety concerns.
A recent employee survey found that 87 per cent of respondents agreed they were encouraged to report safety and health issues and injuries, he said.
The City Hall made national headlines in 2009 when it sacked two workers who accepted free steak sandwiches from Leopold Sportsman’s Club after potholes in its car park during their lunchbreak.
The pair were later reinstated, although one of the men was sacked again in 2013 for allegedly threatening a co-worker.
