Perth Voice Interactive

VINCENT staff are reportedly contemplating industrial action over the axing of CEO John Giorgi.

Former Vincent councillor John Little told the Voice that staff are considering a stop work meeting.

“From what they’ve told me there’ll be an organised walk out during the working day,” the Leederville publican says.

The Voice has been unable to confirm the claim, and both acting CEO Rob Boardman and mayor John Carey say they are unaware of any planned action.

The elected Vincent council decided by a 7-1 margin to not renew Mr Giorgi’s contract when it expires December 31.

A petition with 155 staff signatures has been lodged, asking the council to rescind its decision.

Staff aren’t allowed to talk to the media but Mr Little says they’re unhappy at losing 20 years of corporate knowledge and experience (Mr Giorgi has been CEO since Vincent’s formation in 1994, and worked at the old Perth city council another 20 years before that).

Staff say Mr Giorgi has looked after them and in the wake of the decision morale is perilously low as the city faces re-amalgamation with Perth.

Mr Little says staff will attend the town hall merger meeting on March 9 to ask residents to sign the petition to keep Mr Giorgi.

Vincent mayor John Carey, one of the seven who voted to let Mr Giorgi go, says he hadn’t heard about any industrial action: “I understand that John Little doesn’t like our decision and he’s trying to stir things up,” he says, “but a decision has been made by council and people should respect the deliberation, that we’ve considered this matter with honesty and integrity over a period of four months.”

Mr Little says staff are also unhappy with the redundancies on offer (16 weeks maximum compared to 50+ for other councils).

Mr Giorgi had been pushing for a more generous policy, advising council “the city’s employees are significantly disadvantaged”. Mayor John Carey says councillors decided to get more information before making any decision to be more generous.

by DAVID BELL