In what has been described as “the most serious case of workplace bullying we have seen” by a senior union leader, Dean Hutchison a worker at Sunbury Wall Frames & Trusses has made strong allegations of workplace harassment, bullying and poor safety conditions against the company and its managers.

Mr Hutchinson is currently on work cover after an incident where a 30 centimetre long piece of wood smacked into his temple, as he fell to the ground his workmates laughed at the incident. Dean was dazed by the incident but pretended to keep working though he could not see straight and later he vomited.

Mr Hutchinson has alleged the following against the company:

-	A supervisor regularly fired a nail gun at staff and pretended to fire a nail gun at close range, without saying it was empty.
-	Mr Hutchinson had his thumb broken and a wrist broken in two places in a machine, two weeks after warning his boss that it was dangerous.
-	He had his pay docked after taking a colleague who had shot himself in the leg with a nail gun, to hospital.
-	The supervisor would throw wood or hard cardboard at staff nearly every day.
-	No fans were provided in summer and staff were banned from bringing their own fans as it would use electricity.
-	No safety gear or glasses were provided. Mr Hutchinson's tools were covered in sap by a supervisor and would be stolen and hidden.
-	Staff were forced to pay inflated rates for safety equipment from the boss, Danny Schneider, including as much as $8 for a pencil.
-	Pay was regularly docked for taking too long on a task, or cleaning tools, and Mr Hutchinson and other staff were regularly abused.
-	Staff were warned not to join a union.

CFMEU furnishing products secretary Leo Skourdoumbis described it as the worst bullying case he had seen in his 20 years as a union official and accused the employer of exploiting a workforce.

The union is to launch an ''adverse action'' against the employer for breach of workplace rights. WorkSafe is investigating the bullying claims.

There are also claims that letters sent to the homes of at least four workers by the Australian Electoral Commission were ripped open or tampered with. They included ballot papers on whether to have an enterprise agreement at the workplace.

On April 6, the day after nine staff signed a ballot asking for a union agreement, six of the same people signed another petition rejecting an agreement. The second petition was signed by Rob Guthrie, the Macedon Ranges mayor, who wrote that there was no coercion from the boss. He did not disclose that he was also an employee of the firm but defended this later, saying he wanted to give it as much credibility as he could by signing as a councillor.

The company this week won that ballot six votes to three with four employees not voting.

What is Workplace Bullying?

Psychological and social bullying including:
-	verbal abuse or making fun of your work or you (including your family, sex, sexuality, race or culture, education or economic background).
-	psychological harassment.
-	excluding or isolating you from people or situations.
-	intimidation.
-	giving you pointless jobs that have nothing to do with your job.
-	giving you impossible jobs that can't be done in the given time or the resources provided.
-	deliberately changing your work roster to make it difficult for you.
-	deliberately holding back information you need for getting your work done properly.

Physical bullying or violence is when you are physically attacked or threatened including:
-	pushing, shoving, tripping, grabbing.
-	punching, kicking, scratching, biting, spitting or any other type of direct physical contact.
-	attacking or threatening with equipment, knives, guns, clubs or any other type of object that can be turned into a weapon.
-	any form of sexual harassment.
-	initiation or hazing.

Introducing Vocam's latest Title:
	Workplace Bullying Violence and Harassment