Common or garden steak sanger
Peter Anderson and Mick Van Beek, who worked out of the Drysdale depot about an hour west of Melbourne, agreed to fill two pot holes at the Leopold Sportsmans’ Club while they stopped in for lunch last November. The manager was concerned the elderly patrons would be injured if they tripped and fell over the pot holes (one of which was approximately 15cm deep) near the entrance to the club.
Anderson said they undertook the five-minute job as part of their lunch break because “it was the right thing to do”.
The truck operators had planned to make their way to the tip after lunch to dispose of about six shovels of leftover pot-hole mix.
The following week when the Mr Van Beek and Mr Anderson visited the club again, they were thanked with a free steak sandwich each.
But seven months later, a whistle-blower alerted the Geelong council which then deemed the trucking operators’ actions amounted to an act of theft — despite the fact the tar was destined to be thrown out.
Both men, who have reportedly worked for the council for a combined 27 years, are appealing for their jobs back but the council is standing firm.
Igor Grattan, the Australian Services Union assistant branch secretary, said the sackings were “lunacy” as the mix was destined for the tip.
“We believe council is totally out of step with reality. The Whistleblowers Act has got to be used in the public interest. This isn’t in the public interest.”
Grattan is shocked the Council went to such lengths over two workers simply being Good Samaritans.
The next Music Hit from Geelong is Sandwichgate, recorded by ASU members. You can hear it on 3CR.
ASU Choir
