Wollondilly Council staff threaten to strike over bullying claims

More than half of the staff at Wollondilly Council will walk off the job “indefinitely” next week if their employer refuses to release a report on ­systemic bullying, undertaken following the suicide of an employee earlier this year.

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More than half of the staff at a ­council will walk off the job “indefinitely” next week if their employer refuses to release a report on ­systemic bullying.

The industrial action threatens to cripple Wollondilly Council services including libraries, road maintenance, payments and parks.

Meanwhile, council general manager Luke Johnson is on holiday in New Zealand as of Friday.

The United Services Union said 150 of the south western Sydney council’s 250 staff will go on “indefinite strike action” on Wednesday if the report into bullying, undertaken following the suicide of employee David “Harry” Wilson earlier this year, is not released.

Wollondilly Council general manager Luke Johnson is currently on holidays.

Mr Wilson, from Bargo, killed himself after a council report found his claims of bullying and harassment by colleagues were unsubstantiated. The USU claim the report only interviewed Mr Wilson and the two people he complained about.

“Why is the CEO going on holidays when his council is about to come to a grinding halt?” USU organiser Rudi Oppitz told The Sunday Telegraph.

“Members have said they have not taken this sort of action in more than 20 years.”

The industrial action would be unlawful, meaning Council could force workers back to work if it applied to the NSW Industrial Relations Commission.

Mr Johnson said in a statement that releasing the report would breach the confidence of those who contributed to it.

“Ms Pendlebury’s report required that she engage in a series of confidential discussions with council personnel,” Mr Johnson said in a statement.

“I accept that unless Ms Pendlebury was able to engage in such confidential discussions, and her report kept confidential then that would prejudice the opportunity for the supply to the council of confidential information that would facilitate the effective exercise of the council’s functions.”

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Wollondilly councillors will hold an extraordinary council meeting tomorrow to try to resolve the matter.

Councillors will seek legal advice to see if they can access the report themselves.

Mayor Judith Hannan “we are treating the matter very seriously”.

“I understand how they (employees) feel but we will see what happens on Monday night,” she said.

“Mr Johnston had that leave booked in for a period of time. The Monday meeting could help the situation.”

Mr Johnston is expected to return on Tuesday.