Desal workers refuse to return to work, demand sackings over spying

HUNDREDS of construction workers have today refused to return to work at the Brumby government's desalination plant.

HUNDREDS of construction workers have today refused to return to work at the Brumby government's desalination plant.

Members of the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union are demanding the project builder Thiess sack two executives responsible for hiring the anti-union strikebreaker, Bruce Townsend.

Thiess has stood down project director Greg Miller and human resources manager Marcus Carroll pending the finalisation of an investigation into claims the desalination workers were spied on.

But the CFMEU said today that its members indicated they would not return to work until the employment of the two men were terminated.

The union could not yet say if strike action had been taken today at other Thiess projects in Victoria, as it was on Friday.

While CFMEU members are refusing to return to work, about 400 members of the Australian Workers Union voted this morning to resume work. However, after talks with management, they will not return to the plant until tomorrow.

The $5.4 billion desalination plant is being built at Wonthaggi, on Victoria's southeast coast.