Vic: Union claims dispute is a result of money troubles
MELBOURNE, Dec 5 AAP - Grocon building workers today unanimously rejected a non-unionagreement offered by their employer.
A noisy mass meeting of more than 650 Grocon employees also voted to conduct a campaignof protected industrial action at the company's six Melbourne sites in the lead-up toChristmas.
Outside the meeting, Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU) statesecretary Martin Kingham claimed the confrontation between the union and Grocon was theresult of the building giant's money troubles.
"The reality is this is a company that has got itself out of its depth," Mr Kinghamtold reporters.
"It won't be the union, it won't be the workers that destroy the company, but it mightbe the banks."
Mr Kingham said he'd met with Grocon executives early this morning to offer an olivebranch - a commitment not to take any industrial action before Christmas.
But he said Grocon rejected the offer.
Mr Kingham declined to specify what industrial action would take place at Grocon sites,but he predicted the industrial unrest would continue well into the new year.
He also said he expected Grocon to retaliate and lock out its workforce.
Grocon workers did not return to any of the company's construction projects after themass meeting.
However, Mr Kingham said they would all be back at work at 7am (AEDT) tomorrow.
Mr Grollo is to hold a press conference this afternoon.
Yesterday, the Grocon chief said his company wasn't trying to pick a fight with the unions.
But Mr Grollo had foreshadowed he would take on the CFMEU in a speech delivered midwaythrough Victoria's election campaign.
The once union-friendly Grocon this week bypassed the powerful CFMEU and made a payoffer directly to its Victorian employees.
The move followed what the construction giant said were three months of fruitless negotiationswith the union.
AAP bja/clr/apm/sb
KEYWORD: GROCON LEAD
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