The stand-off between builder Grocon and the Construction, Forestry, Mining, and Energy Union (CFMEU) entered its third week on Wednesday with the protest of construction workers spreading to two more sites.

CFMEU workers assigned at the Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre construction site in Parkville and the Footscray Central Activities District site in MacNab Avenue walked off their jobs and prevented subcontractors from entering to show their solidarity with striking Grocon employees at the Emporium site.

Police have entered the Emporium site and the two new areas of protest to ensure peace in these sites of labour disputes and help bus in non-union workers who want to report for duty. The Emporium site was declared by the Victorian Supreme Court as an illegal blockade, while Grocon sought an end to the blockades.

Grocon has softened its hardline stance and agreed to resume talks with the CMFEU if the union lifts the illegal blockade. The union restored the blockade despite the court injunction after talks with Grocon at Fair Work Australia collapsed.

Due to the worsening situation, Prime Minister Julia Gillard has entered the picture and called for calm between the two contending parties, but said the blockade which has caused Grocon financial losses and hampered movement of vehicles is gross unacceptable.

"It breaches state law. It's illegal actions and picketing and everybody should take a step back and get this dispute resolved. There's no excuse ever for unlawful conduct and on one should be engaging in that conduct. At the end of the day, industrial disputes are resolved by people being prepared to sit around a table and get them resolved," ABC quoted Ms Gillard.

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