Charges laid over alleged altercation

An alleged altercation at a picket line in September this year has led to assault charges for an Electrical Trades Union (ETU) official. 

The picket was the result of an industrial dispute involving maintenance workers at the Carlton & United Breweries (CUB) plant in Melbourne’s Abbotsford.

CUB terminated 55 worker contracts and called for the affected fitters and electricians to reapply for their jobs. The workers refused to apply under the conditions of the new contract and a long-running picket line ensued. The situation escalated as CUB brought in temporary contract workers to cover the workload. 

Police allege that a man was pushed to the pavement following a verbal altercation with an ETU official, who has formally been charged with assault. He is due to appear at Melbourne Magistrates Court in April 2017.