Choppers brought in to avoid blockade

A company has taken desperate measures to chopper foreign workers onto a building site in Victoria after protesters formed a road blockade.

The protesters prevented work at the Werribee site for a week before the building company behind construction took matters into its own hands – hiring helicopters to fly workers on and off site.

Protesters are angry they cannot get jobs, but the builder insists the foreigners are working here legally and have special skills.

“The money is going out of the country and destroying people’s lives here,” said one protester.

The four Philipino workers at the centre of the drama are specialist welders and say they don’t understand why they are being targeted by the protesters.

“I am disappointed because I thought they would understand us because we are workers also,” said Jesse Marcilang, one of the foreign workers.

The company is accusing protesters of abuse, and even making ‘gestures of throat cutting’.

“They want to wake up to themselves and stop this disgraceful behavior, intimidation,” said company spokesperson Chris Lipton.

The choppers cost $3000 to hire, but the company says it would cost $300,000 a day not to work.