Former union organiser unfair dismissal claims after ‘calling out violent threats’ in meeting

New details have been revealed about a bullying investigation involving a prominent union secretary as a former staffer cries foul.

Australian Manufacturing Workers' Union members at the Union’s May Day March in Darwin in 2023. Picture: Annabel Bowles

A former Manufacturing Workers Union organiser claims she was unfairly sacked after calling out NSW state secretary Cory Wright for “threatening physical violence” against another staff member at a meeting, court documents show.

Helen Sourlas said she condemned Mr Wright in a staff meeting on February 16, 2023 for his behaviour, documents supplied to The Australian by the Federal Court report.

“Ms Sourlas criticised the then NSW State Secretary of AMWU (Mr Corey [sic] Wright) in a staff meeting for threatening physical violence against another employee of the AMWU,” her statement of claim read.

“On 27 April 2023, Ms Sourlas made numerous written complaints, under the AMWU whistle blower policy, against Mr Cory Wright, and provided these to the Assistant National Secretary of the AMWU Mr Glen Thompson, on behalf of herself and other employees of the AMWU.”

Ms Sourlas also said she emailed AMWU national secretary Steve Murphy in May last year “outlining numerous instances of bullying and/or harassment Ms Sourlas and the other employees of AMWU had been subjected to by Mr Wright”.

Steve Murphy, national secretary of the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union.

These claims were investigated, according to the documents, by barrister and former Julia Gillard staffer, Jack Whelan.

An AMWU national office spokesman said it could not comment on matters before the court, but the union “takes matters of this nature seriously”.

“The Union is proactive in response to complaints and all matters involved were thoroughly and independently investigated, including activating an external investigator into an internal matter,” they said.

“AMWU policies require that all parties are treated fairly if and when complaints arise and that the wellbeing of all parties is proactively supported.”

Ms Sourlas was interviewed, and on July 20 last year was provided with a letter confirming in “broad terms” the outcome of the investigation into Mr Wright, who remains listed as the AMWU’s NSW and ACT secretary.

Through her solicitor, a de-identified copy of this letter was supplied to the AMWU on July 21.

AMWU NSW/ACT Secretary Cory Wright.

Separately, Ms Sourlas’s statement of claim also reported she made a witness statement in May on behalf of her colleague Dave Kelly — who launched a case against the union after claiming he was also unfairly sacked.

Months later, in late July, Ms Sourlas said her employment was terminated after the investigation letter turned up in correspondence relating to Mr Kelly’s matter.

As a result, Ms Sourlas alleged she was dismissed because she made a complaint in relation to her employment and because she participated in Fair Work proceedings.

Ms Sourlas said she was employed as an organiser by the AMWU in September 2021 before her employment was terminated on July 28, 2023 with “immediate effect for purportedly serious misconduct”.

“Ms Sourlas has suffered loss and damage,” her statement of claim read.

She is seeking medical and treatment expenses and general damage in the form of “hurt, distress and humiliation suffered … because of the contraventions” and said she is owed compensation and interest.

Ms Sourlas’s allegations were lodged in a Federal Court case against Mr Murphy in November, after she had already filed an earlier matter with the same court but against the AMWU in March last year.

Federal Court judge Elizabeth Raper ordered the matters be consolidated on December 13, and referred the case to mediation in March next year.