WYNDHAM Council has been accused of hiring a private investigator to trap staff and photograph them shopping, taking drugs and drinking alcohol during work hours, resulting in five workers losing their jobs.
About 150 union members, many currently employed by Wyndham Council, gathered out the front of the Civic Centre last Friday to show their support to the five workers who were fired on Thursday.
The five men worked for the Parks services department at the council and were based at the council’s depot in Old Geelong Rd in Hoppers Crossing.
Australian Services Union Branch Secretary, Brian Parkinson, told the crowd of angry workers that a private investigator had been hired in late November last year in order to weed out employees.
“Council had employed this bodyguard, private investigator, whatever you want to call him, and gave him the power of entrapment,” Mr Parkinson said.
“What that says is that this council has no trust in its staff. This is the first time I have seen someone go to this level to entrap their staff.”
Mr Parkinson said the investigator, identified as David McKee, encouraged the staff to take breaks at the wrong times, drink alcohol, and even accompany him while he inspected a boat he was considering buying.
It is alleged he then took photos of the staff and forwarded them to the council as evidence of offences.
The investigator was described as a tall and intimidating man that had claimed to be associated with outlaw bikie gangs.
Mr Parkinson said four of the workers were aged in their 20s while one had been employed by the council for 25 years and was aged in his 50s.
Another female worker has taken sick leave due to the stress of the situation.
“The council brought in a hired gun to work with the people and entrap them,” Mr Parkinson said.
“Ninety per cent of the allegations this man has levelled at them are untrue and the council have taken him at his word and fired five members.”
Wyndham CEO Kerry Thompson defended her use of an investigator but denied that he entrapped staff.
“Wyndham Council had received a number of complaints about our Parks service and therefore commissioned an investigation into those concerns. The investigation uncovered a range of activities considered to be serious misconduct,” Ms Thompson said.
“It is my role to ensure that ratepayer’s money is spent appropriately, and allowing staff to engage in conduct that could pose a risk to safety and/or reduce productivity cannot be tolerated.
“This process has culminated in five staff no longer being employed by Wyndham City.
“Suggestions of coercion from the investigator are not only scurrilous, but demonstrate a complete lack of accountability from those involved.”
Ms Thompson would not go into detail surrounding the allegations but said they were varied amongst the staff with the most serious “potentially resulting in criminal action”.
The union members agreed to go back to work and meet at the council again on Wednesday to receive an update on the situation.
