Yallourn power plant dispute escalates with picket at generator The Construction Forestry Mining and Energy Union may stop non-union workers from going into the Yallourn power plant. Picture: David Geraghty Source: Herald Sun LOCKED-out workers will picket Victoria's third-largest power plant from today, escalating a bitter dispute. The Construction Forestry Mining and Energy Union will protest outside the Yallourn power plant, and may stop non-union workers from going in. A marathon meeting of workers yesterday unanimously voted to picket the plant. CFMEU mining division president Luke van der Meulen said yesterday: "Workers voted unanimously to pursue a fairer deal from EnergyAustralia. That will start tomorrow. When asked if workers would block non-union staff - flown in from New South Wales to restart the plant after last Friday's fire - from going in, he said: "That will all be considered." The plant is running again after the fire damaged three generators. Two are back online. The firm is threatening legal action against anyone found to have deliberately started the blaze. The fire began just after striking workers were told they would be locked out until they halted industrial action. EnergyAustralia group executive manager Michael Hutchinson said yesterday: "There will be a full investigation into the cause of the fire and the loss of the generating units, with legal action taken as required." EnergyAustralia said the four-month dispute had cost $10 million. But the return of the generators had secured the jobs of more than 400 non-striking workers, who might have been stood down otherwise. The CFMEU has strongly denied that any of its members were involved in the fire. It wants a consult-and-agree clause included in a new pay deal, but EnergyAustralia has refused. Plant operators, paid up to $180,000 a year with overtime, were offered a 25 per cent rise over four years.