Noosa Shire Council workers are on strike today calling for a fair pay rise that keeps pace with neighbouring local governments.
Striking workers from the Australian Workers’ Union and the Australian Services Union will gather outside the Noosa Council Chambers on Pelican St in Tewantin at 9am to hold a public rally.
AWU members are calling on Council to deliver a wage rise that gives them parity with Gympie Regional Council.
AWU Organiser Michael Anderson said that local workers in Noosa are under significant financial pressure.
“Our members do not want to strike, they love their local community and are frontline heroes, but something has to give,” Mr Anderson said.
“We are not asking for the world, we just want to keep our heads above water in the current cost-of-living crisis.
“Whether it is groceries, rent or rates for local homeowners, pressure on household budgets just keeps going up in Noosa.”
Negotiations between Council and the unions have degraded in recent weeks after Council made a pay offer to workers that does not keep up with rates in neighbouring Councils.
Outdoor workers at Noosa Shire Council are paid less than their counterparts in Gympie, the Sunshine Coast and Moreton Bay.
Mr Anderson said that the rising cost of living is causing workers to have to make difficult choices about whether they can keep affording to live in Noosa.
“It’s getting to the point where local Council workers are making decisions about whether we can afford to keep living here,” Mr Anderson said.
“That is an untenable position to be in when we are talking about the quality of local services that the Council provides.
“The irony is that this Council keeps raising rates for local homeowners, which puts financial pressure on our members and families across the region.
“Very little of that is flowing through to the wages that the Council pays their staff. Where is this money going?”
MEDIA CONTACT: Michael Anderson (AWU Organiser) – 0409 763 630
BACKGROUND:
Our Coverage
The Australian Workers’ Union is one of Queensland’s oldest and largest blue collar unions.
The AWU is the industry union for outdoor workers employed by local governments in Queensland.
Noosa Council Strike and Rally Information
Where: Noosa Council Chambers (9 Pelican St, Tewantin)
When: Meeting at 9am today (Wednesday 19th March 2025)
Location Contact: Michael Anderson (AWU Organiser) – 0409 763 630
Noosa Shire Council’s Offer
The current offer from Noosa Shire Council is :
- First Year: 6.5% or CPI (whichever is higher) in Feb 2025
- Second Year: 3.5% or CPI (whichever is higher) in Feb 2026
- Third Year: 3.5% or CPI (whichever is higher) in Feb 2027
AWU members are fighting for a fair wage increase that is competitive with neighbouring Councils.
With other Council wage agreements being negotiated across the region, and Noosa Shire Council starting at a lower base for wages, this wage offer will not keep up.
