Skip to content
Energy, Union

Ausgrid workers’ industrial action set to impact Sydney and regional NSW

Electrical Trades Union 2 mins read

Electrical Trades Union (ETU) Ausgrid members across Sydney and parts of regional NSW will take strike action, outraged by the company’s refusal to offer a wage rise that recognises the rise in the cost of living.

 

Up to two million Ausgrid customers could face inconveniences as part of the industrial action, which could kick off as soon as this week.

 

Around 1600 ETU members have voted overwhelmingly in favour of a range of actions including work stoppages, overtime bans, switching bans and locking bans.

 

Households and businesses could experience maintenance delays and other inconveniences unless Ausgrid offers workers a serious pay rise that helps them keep up with the soaring cost of living.

 

Electrical contractors rely on switching to turn the power off to do major work and maintenance, or connect power to properties.

 

A whopping 93% of union members rejected Ausgrid’s offer earlier in the month, paving the way for industrial action.

 

Any emergency work will not be affected by the action.

 

The poles and wires company services around two million customers, which equates to more than four million people, across most of Sydney’s east, north and inner-city, as well as the Central Coast and Hunter Valley.

 

Ausgrid is the third major power company in NSW in a dispute about giving workers the pay and conditions they deserve, joining Transgrid and Endeavour Energy.

 

ETU NSW/ACT Secretary Allen Hicks said:

 

“The millions of Australians who rely on the east coast’s largest electricity distributor should be alarmed to learn how Ausgrid is treating its staff, who keep their power running and their lights on day in and day out,” he said.

 

“Ausgrid’s insulting pay offer has left workers with no choice but to launch industrial action including work stoppages.

 

“Ausgrid could instantly prevent any maintenance delays or inconveniences to the community with a serious offer that helps workers keep up with the spiralling cost of living.

 

“Ausgrid workers’ real wages have gone backwards with the cost-of-living crisis eroding the value of their last pay rise. Their experience is not recognised or rewarded, despite their critical role providing a safe and reliable electricity network for millions of NSW homes, businesses, schools, hospitals and infrastructure. 

 

“ETU members haven’t yet received an offer that will allow them to keep up with cost of living increases. They have no choice but to continue to exercise their legal right to withdraw their labour until they get an offer that doesn’t send their wages backwards.”

 

Background:

 

  • ETU members are seeking annual pay rises of 8% for the next three years, plus a 1% superannuation increase over two years in addition to the federal super guarantee of 0.5% increase in years one and two

  • Ausgrid offered a 7% pay increase in the first years, followed by 2.7% (or CPI if it is higher) in years two and three, and the federal super guarantee of 0.5% increase in years one and two

  • ETU members put a counteroffer of a one-year agreement of 8% with other allowances which was rejected by Ausgrid

  • Bargaining started in May

  • The NSW government owns 49.6% of Ausgrid with the rest in the hands of AustralianSuper (8.4%), IFM Investors (25.2%) and APG Asset Management Group (16.8%)


Contact details:

Eimear O'Sullivan ‭+61 475 433 148‬

More from this category

  • Energy, Environment
  • 13/12/2024
  • 16:23
No More Gas campaign - Friends of the Earth Melbourne

Friends of the Earth welcomes Victorian Government plan to phase out gas appliances

The Victorian Government today announced a raft of measures under consideration to move Victoria away from polluting, greenhouse gas intensive and expensive fossil gas…

  • Contains:
  • Energy, Government Federal
  • 13/12/2024
  • 16:11
Solutions for Climate Australia

Peter Dutton’s nuclear fantasy equals soaring power bills

13 December 2024 Solutions for Climate Australia today called out figures provided by PeterDutton on the future cost of power from nuclear reactors as expensive and a failure to tackle climate pollution. “While we are waiting decades for Mr Dutton’s nuclear reactors, the Coalition proposes to pour money into propping up expensive, ageing coal power stations that are already failing, and massively increasing climate pollution. “CSIRO’s optimistic estimates of the costs of nuclear reactors last week show them as twice as expensive as the renewable energy pathway. Somehow Mr Dutton claims using the most expensive source of electricity will bring…

  • Energy, Manufacturing
  • 13/12/2024
  • 15:54
Weld Australia

Weld Australia Slams Opposition’s Nuclear Power Plan as Unrealistic Fantasy

Today’s announcement by Opposition Leader Peter Dutton outlining a nuclear power plan reveals a deep disconnect from the realities of Australia’s energy landscape. Weld Australia, the peak body representing thousands of Australian welders and fabricators, including those supporting coal-fired power stations through its Power Generation Industry Group, has strongly criticised the proposal as impractical and grossly misinformed. A Fantasy Without Basis in Reality According to Geoff Crittenden, CEO of Weld Australia, the Opposition’s plan relies on the misguided notion that coal-fired power stations can continue operating reliabily indefinitely to bridge the energy gap. “It is a fantasy to imagine that…

Media Outreach made fast, easy, simple.

Feature your press release on Medianet's News Hub every time you distribute with Medianet. Pay per release or save with a subscription.