Hundreds of police officers and construction workers have arrived in Melbourne's CBD ahead of the first work day this week at a disputed Grocon building site.
About 100 police officers on Tuesday morning are standing behind a wire fence put up overnight around the Myer Emporium site, which was the scene of an ugly confrontation last week between construction union workers and police trying to escort Grocon employees past the union blockade.
Eight mounted police are also standing by across the street from the building site in front of another few dozen officers.
Construction workers have gathered on Lonsdale Street, which police have closed to traffic on Tuesday.
The Victorian government is backing the contempt proceedings by construction company Grocon against CFMEU officials, whose members have blockaded the Emporium building site in Melbourne's CBD for close to two weeks in defiance of a court injunction.
Grocon was back in the Victorian Supreme Court on Monday seeking the contempt orders.
The CFMEU has offered to stall any action for 14 days of negotiation but it was rejected by Grocon's chief, Daniel Grollo.
"Last week the union offered to stop illegally blockading Grocon's business for 14 days and then reimpose them if they weren't getting what they wanted," Mr Grollo said in a statement.
"This time they say they will only stop breaking the law `for so long as the parties are engaged in productive discussions'.
"In other words, the CFMEU will reimpose the illegal blockades on Grocon at any time it chooses.
"That is clearly impossible for any business to accept."
Mr Grollo said Grocon's offer to the CFMEU remained.
"The union simply has to agree to permanently end its illegal blockades and we are happy to sit down and talk to try to understand their issues," he said in a statement.
A union official addressed the crowd at 6.30am and told them to stay calm but to make sure any workers who were bussed into the site past the union blockade knew they were acting against the will of all unions.
He said the union could wait out the police.
"If they want to come, we'll see you every day," he said to cheers from workers.
"We're going to keep calm. ... We're going to avoid confrontation."
Riot police began moving shortly after the speech to reinforce a police line behind the job site on Little Bourke Street.
Police later confirmed they had helped escort workers into the job site past the blockade about 6.35am.
"The site was safely secured without injury to any party," said a Victoria Police statement.
"Victoria Police will continue to have a presence at the site from today as necessary to ensure the safety of all parties involved."
The union official told the crowd he believed the workers had snuck in through another building.
The crowd then largely dispersed while a vocal group of about 25 started heckling the building site, where workers could be heard inside.
"Show us your face, scab," one man yelled.
"Die, scab, die," shouted another.
Union officials are expected to speak later.
