Sangers stalemate

Alex de Vos
A council worker sacked for accepting a free steak sandwich has been offered his job back, according to a union representative.
But he has refused to return to work after City Hall offered extra pay-out money rather than reinstatement to his colleague sacked for the same offence.
Mick Van Beek said he would not go back to work without Peter Anderson by his side.
“It’s all in or none at all,” Mr Van Beek said.
City Hall sacked Mr Van Beek and Mr Anderson after they filled two potholes at Leopold Sportsman’s Club in November without orders from superiors.
The men said they acted at the request of a club manager who was worried the potholes were a safety threat to elderly patrons. The manager gave the pair steak sandwiches as a reward.
However, City Hall sacked both men after a whistleblower dobbed them in for accepting the sandwiches.
Mr Van Beek said was “angry and upset” with council’s offer on Wednesday to re-hire him but not Mr Anderson.
“They’ve decided not to reinstate the both of us but we knocked the deal on the head,” he said.
“I’m disappointed but, I tell you, it’s not the end of it.”
Mr Anderson said he would continue fighting for his job despite being told he had a few “red marks” against his name at City Hall.
“Council has told me they’ve got more stuff on me,” Mr Anderson said.
“They offered me some pay but I didn’t take it – I’m out to prove my innocence.”
Australian Services Union Geelong organiser Barry Miller said officials and the sacked men were still considering whether to lodge an appeal against the “unfair sackings” before Friday’s deadline.
“It’s an option we have but we’re not that comfortable with the courts,” Mr Miller said.
“We have no faith in the system – 92 out of 100 don’t get their job back.
“Even if we were to make an application we would not stop our campaign.”
Last week hundreds of protesters stormed a council meeting in Geelong to support the two sacked workers. Unionists and the sacked men stormed another council meeting this week to continue pushing for their jobs back.
Meanwhile, council has given the City’s top job to the man who presided over the dismissal of Mr Van Beek and Mr Anderson.
Acting chief executive Stephen Griffin will take on the job full time after councillors gave him the nod on Tuesday night.
Mr Griffin took over the role earlier this year after former chief executive officer Kay Rundle resigned from the $300,000-plus position in March