By CASEY NEILL
STRIKE action is increasing at the Springvale and Bangholme cemeteries.
A pay and conditions dispute between the Australian Workers Union (AWU) and Southern Metropolitan Cemeteries Trust (SMCT) has prompted rolling stoppages at Springvale Botanical Cemetery and Bunurong Memorial Park since 16 August.
“We’re escalating that now,” AWU Victorian secretary Ben Davis told the Journal last week.
“That means stop-works more often.
“Hopefully that escalation will make things happen quicker.”
Workers are now walking off the job a couple of times a week at each site.
“I met with delegates on-site earlier this week, and management,” Mr Davis said.
“We’re getting to the point where it needs to be resolved, and I think everyone’s aware of that.
“But no one can actually come to terms about what that should be.
“I think it’s coming to a head slowly.”
He said the lengthy industrial action was because “traditions are so entrenched”.
“Employees are reacting to a very aggressive agenda from management,” he said.
The Journal contacted SMCT for commnet last week but did not receive a response.
SMCT CEO Jonathon Tribe previously said that the group was determined to re-shape to be more responsive to the community’s needs.
He said it had negotiated with the workers and union for almost 18 months.
“Our best efforts to schedule around this campaign and to cut back our bookings in order to continue to provide our usual standard of service to grieving families is now being tested,” he said last month.
He said families were experiencing anxiety and some had waited up to 10 days to bury loved ones instead of three to five due to the action.
Mr Davis has denied the action was impacting the public.
