Minister for Workplace Relations, Kevin Andrews, has suddenly ended the prosecution of 70 workers who had refused to live in shacks they claimed were ridden with feral cats and fleas, and sitting on collapsing stilts above overflow from an open sewer pit.
The workers were about to begin an eight-week stint maintaining a coal-washing plant at a mine in central-western Queensland when they walked off the job in March last year because of the camp conditions.
After two days they were ordered back to work by the Industrial Relations Commission. The dispute with the employer, Eagles Engineering, was settled when the camp was cleaned up.
The workers and their union, the Queensland branch of the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union, believed the matter was all over until they learnt in February that the Office of Workplace Services was prosecuting them.
The ACTU's secretary, Greg Combet, said the decision was evidence of panic.
"The moment we bring a situation like this to public light the Government panics and drops the prosecution," he said.
"I think the Prime Minister has told Mr Andrews to make sure industrial relations is kept out of the media and he is willing to do anything to make it happen."
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