JOB LOSSES ON THE WESTGATE

Ben Davis, Victorian Secretary of the AWU said he is tired of the workers on the Westgate Tunnel project being used as cannon fodder in what is the responsibility of the State Government, CPB Contractors, John Holland, and Transurban. "This is people’s livelihoods they are playing with".

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The reasoning behind the axing of jobs remains controversial, at this stage it is the ongoing issue on where soil containing PFAS should be dumped. The Age reported that ‘The builders wrote to head project contractor Transurban on March 31, advising the company that if a site was not found to dispose of the project’s soil within the next two weeks, it would cut up to 600 jobs in the next 12 weeks.’ The state government is yet to move on this indecision from all parties. The project itself is already behind and the 2022 deadline is unlikely to be adhered to, with constant delays and bickering.

The AWU has been monitoring this situation closely and in an interview Mr Davis said "It is my understanding that the builders have the ability to take some of the soil to landfill, they have permits from the EPA to do so, they've chosen not to exercise that right, for reasons best known to themselves." He continued to say "yet again our members and working people in construction are being caught up being cannon fodder in what is ultimately a commercial dispute, and it is outrageous this would happen in the middle of a pandemic."

On Wednesday Almost 100 more workers on the already delayed tunnel project lost their jobs as the battle over who picks up the cheque for landfill fees continues. Australian Workers’ Union Victorian branch secretary Ben Davis said “They were made redundant today. About two-thirds of them were white-collar and 25 were construction workers,” he said. “The state of uncertainty over PFAS-contaminated soil has led to another round of job losses. It needs to be sorted now.”

Transurban are heading the construction of the tunnel, a spokesperson said the CPB John Holland joint venture had options to keep their staff on. “We’re extremely disappointed to learn that despite our efforts … they’re continuing to make changes to their workforce.” CPBand John Holland have reportedly told the state government that up to 600 more project workers could be sacked by the end of June.