Fed: Docks dispute tactics claimed in abattoir dispute

AAP General News (Australia)
04-08-2001
Fed: Docks dispute tactics claimed in abattoir dispute

MELBOURNE, April 8 AAP - The federal government used a tense industrial stand-off at
a Melbourne abattoir as a front to try to bust the Australian meatworkers union, unionists
and the federal opposition claimed today.

The Australian Meat Industry Employees Union (AMIEU) claimed the abattoir, G&K O'Connor,
used union-busting tactics similar to those employed by docks company Patrick during the
1998 Australian waterfront dispute.

"We believe that O'Connor is being used by the government as a means to try and break
the meatworkers union," AMIEU secretary Graham Bird told Channel Nine's Sunday program.

As evidence, the union pointed to the government's refusal to release 700 documents
relating to the dispute, and the abattoir employing a "professional strikebreaker", Bruce
Townsend, active during the waterfront dispute.

Also cited as evidence was that company managing director Kevin O'Connor had employed
the lawyer who represented then Workplace Relations Minister, Peter Reith, at the time
of the waterfront dispute.

But current Workplace Relations Minister Tony Abbott rejected the claims, saying the
"union is simply being paranoid".

A recent Australian Industrial Relations Commission (AIRC) unfair dismissal case heard
G&K O'Connor had employed "undercover spies" through Mr Townsend to infiltrate the workforce
and gain material allegedly damaging to union members.

Mr O'Connor told the Sunday program that the company "got people in" because allegations
of intimidation had been made by new employees, and some concerns over theft had been
raised.

Tasmanian kickboxer and security worker, Darren Wise, said he was among those recruited
to work undercover in the Pakenham abattoir.

Mr Wise told the AIRC that company management said the aim was to "get rid of the union",
the Sunday program reported.

In particular, Mr Wise said he was told to focus on Ray Murphy, a long time member
of the union and O'Connor employee, and the occupational health and safety officer at
the abattoir.

Mr Wise claimed he was urged to seek damaging information on Mr Murphy, including false
claims that he stole valuable gallstones, prized on Asian markets as an aphrodisiac.

Mr Murphy was sacked when it was revealed he knew that Mr Wise and a fellow "spy" were
apparently "stealing" the stones, but did not report it to management.

Mr Murphy's subsequent unfair dismissal case in the AIRC resulted in the company settling
last week by paying him $35,000 - twice the amount the AIRC could have awarded him, the
Sunday program reported.

Meanwhile, G&K O'Connor workers had taken no industrial action during several years
of tense industrial relations as the company tried to force workers onto individual contracts,
the union's Mr Bird said.

Yet in 1999, the company had locked out the workers for nine months - the longest lockout
by an Australian employer since the 1930s.

However, the Federal Court last August awarded about $20,000 in backpay to 35 workers.

Federal opposition industrial relations spokesman Arch Bevis called for the government
to come clean regarding its role in the O'Connor dispute.

"The only way the Howard government can restore any confidence in their handling of
this matter is to make public the hundreds of pages of material on this dispute which
the government have locked away," Mr Bevis said in a statement.

"The tactics used in this dispute, the secrecy, the links to the government, and the
bitterness of this dispute have all the hallmarks of the Patrick's waterfront fiasco -
except for the Dubai connection."

AAP imc/gfr/cjh/sb

KEYWORD: MEAT (CARRIED EARLIER)

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