Racism claims rock Metro Tunnel project

The $13.7 billion Metro Tunnel project has been rocked by claims authorities turned a blind eye while an Indigenous worker was racially abused.

The Metro Tunnel project has suffered another blow after an Indigenous worker claimed he was racially abused while at work. Picture: Asanka Ratnayake

Tensions are close to boiling over on the $13.7 billion Metro Tunnel project after an Indigenous worker alleged a racism case was not investigated.

The Australian Workers’ Union stepped in to take up the man’s case after he said he was racially vilified over a six-month period including by having his photo identification defaced.

The AWU released a statement online saying that builders Cross Yarra Partnership — made up of John Holland, Lendlease Engineering and Bouygues Construction — failed to investigate the matter.

In response, the Andrews Government’s Rail Projects Victoria said it had “zero tolerance for harassment, discrimination, or vilification of any kind” and workplace laws were in place to deal with such cases.

But the AWU’s state secretary Ben Davis said he was “deeply troubled and furious that events like this have happened on a state government project”.

The AWU statement says “a toxic work culture is like a disease and those that partake in it need to be sacked and held accountable”.

“Racism within the workplace should be at a zero-tolerance level and the lack of concern for this member’s wellbeing is another matter that should also be taken into consideration.”

The union said the worker “made a stand against being racially abused” and was then threatened with his employment being terminated.

It is understood the man and another worker were separated from one another when tensions escalated.

He was later offered a redundancy, which aligned closely with the end of major tunnelling work in May.

In the statement the worker, who did not want to be identified, said “racism and targeting is something I have had to deal with day in and day out”.

The spokesman for RPV said workplace laws were in place to guide responses.

“It is required of all contractors that any complaints of this nature are managed in accordance with the relevant policies and legislation,” he said.