Government Senator Milton Scott has hit back at BIU members who he says are spreading lies and threatening him.

The Stevedoring Services Human Resource Manager was the target of a hard-hitting leaflet -- given to marchers on Friday -- which labelled him an "Uncle Tom''.

But he hit back yesterday: "Management is there to run the company and sometimes the union doesn't agree.

"Then they say `we'll walk, we'll take to the streets.' I suffer threats.

They say, `it's another nail in your coffin', but I won't be brow beaten by threats. I get it worse because I am in public life.'' The Workers Voice flyer said: "From Union organiser to a devious `Uncle Tom' is the way Senator Milton Scott has been described by members of the Portworkers Division of the BIU. And his Simon Legree tactics have caused varying problems on the Hamilton Docks.'' The leaflet quoted an unnamed portworker official. He said: "Ever since Senator Scott was hired as the human resources manager we have experienced problem after problem.

"I know he has a job to do but all this heavy-handed stuff shows me that he was never a union man.

"Prior to his appointment, we were working on improving industrial relations on the job but he threw a monkey-wrench into the works with his arrogant, elitist style.

"He did not hold one meeting with the union so that we could get to know him and he know us. His intentions were quite obvious at the start.

"As Scott was a director of the company it was kind of easy for him to carry the big stick.'' The newssheet said Scott was at the heart of the current dispute on the docks where an overtime ban was launched in protest at what the BIU saw as a refusal of the company to honour a promise to let office staff join up.

Mr. Scott said he was bound by the arbitration panel from not speaking about the specifics of the dispute.

But he said: "From the very first day I got involved with meetings with the unions.

"I have worked there for well over a year and industrial relations have always been tense. It's my job to carry out the mission of the organisation.

"It's an attempt to undermine my personal and professional integrity.

"This leaflet doesn't reflect the opinion of the majority of workers who get on well with me. It's not even signed. These poison-pen articles won't make me run away.

"They are putting downright lies out there. It's a public demonisation but I am not arrogant -- I don't think anyone I work with would say that.

"I came from a labour family and worked hard to put myself through college and came back to make a contribution to the Country. If people are concerned, they should sit down with me and flesh things out.

Senator Scott says union making dispute personal "This is getting rather personalised. One of the reasons I haven't commented on the specifics of the dispute is that I am following the rules of the tribunal, but some people don't have the same respect for the law. "But I have taken the high road and I won't go into the details.

"There are numerous allegations that events that have happened have been related to me. Two managers were terminated -- one for insubordination and one for assault with a dangerous weapon -- and arbitration vindicated this.

"They want to kill the messenger but the management takes decisions collectively. But because I am in public life I am made out to be the bad guy.

"We have more than a 100 people wanting to work on the docks and most are friends or relatives of people who work there. So if it is so bad then why do they want to work there?'' He said the company had paid out a lot of money on a consultant who looked at the continuing tension on the docks.

But he added: "It's a worldwide problem. It's one of the most challenging areas to work. Look at the US, where there is major disruption on the docks.'' Milton Scott: "It's a public demonisation''