Southern Downs Regional Council workers are on strike today for the first time in decades after another poor wage offer.
The industrial action comes as a last resort, after months of bargaining has failed to yield a fair offer from the Council.
Council workers represented by the Australian Workers’ Union, the Transport Workers’ Union, The Services Union and the CFMEU will walk off the job this afternoon to rally outside Council buildings in Stanthorpe and Warwick.
AWU South Western District Secretary Joey Kaiser said that workers feel disrespected by the Council.
“Our members love this community. This is not a decision we take lightly – council workers in the Southern Downs have not taken protected industrial action in over 40 years - but something has got to give,” Mr Kaiser said.
“Our members have watched their real wages be torn apart by rising grocery prices, interest rates and rental payments over the past three years.”
“Council's current wage offer is simply not enough for our hardworking members to keep our heads above water in the current economy.”
“To add insult to injury, Council’s current offer would not see outdoor workers receive their first pay rise until next February.”
An attempt by the Council to make it easier to extend workers’ ordinary hours to Sunday and introduce insecure forms of employment into the agreement for outdoor workers has also fallen flat, prompting workers to take industrial action.
Working on Sundays is currently entirely voluntary at the Council.
Mr Kaiser said that while wages are an important part of why Council staff across the Southern Downs are standing up and fighting back, it’s not all about the money.
“Council’s current offer still proposes to introduce insecure employment into the agreement and changes arrangements for working on Sundays,”
“Southern Downs Regional Council is competing for labour with the resources and construction industries, as well as other Councils,”
“Our members have the skills and the ability to move to one of these other industries and earn a lot more money, but they would have a reduced work-life balance.”
“Council can’t have it both ways – they need to maintain the conditions that make working in local government attractive, like voluntary work on Sundays.”
Unions are calling on Council to come back to the bargaining table and deliver a fair deal that their workers deserve.
Mr Kaiser said that the Council’s workforce aren't asking for the world - they just want a fair pay rise delivered this year and an offer that doesn't reduce conditions at Southern Downs.
“As the following weeks and months play out, Council can end our industrial action at any time by coming to the table with a genuine offer that addresses the concerns held by staff,” Mr Kaiser said.
“There is still time for Council to come to the table and make an offer that their staff deserve.”
Strike Action Rallies Today
- Warwick Rally: Meeting at the entrance to admin building area (building is cnr of Fitzroy and Albion Streets, Warwick) - 1:30pm. (Warwick Location Contact: Luke Richmond (0402 688 073)
- Stanthorpe Rally: Meeting at Weeroona Park on Marsh Street, Stanthorpe - 1:30pm
Location Contacts:
Warwick Location Contact: Luke Richmond (0402 688 073)
Stanthorpe Location Contact: Joey Kaiser (0401 098 484)
Media Comment:
AWU Queensland Secretary Stacey Schinnerl will be available for comment at the Warwick rally.
AWU South Western District Secretary Joey Kaiser will be available for comment at the Stanthorpe Rally.
NOTE: Workers are bound by Council policies not to talk to the media. They have elected for their relevant union officials to be their spokespeople.
Council’s Offer
Council is currently offering 4%/4%/3.5% over three years, with the first pay rise from February next year for outdoor staff.
This offer is less than other Councils are offering their workforce across Queensland, and comes off the back of three years of economic hardship and low pay rises for outdoor staff.
Council is also proposing to extend ordinary hours to Sundays ‘by agreement’ with individual workers. This is being seen as an attack on these workers’ right to voluntary work on a Sunday.
There are a lot of opportunities in construction and resources for people with these Council workers’ skill set – they could be paid a lot more in those industries and give up their work-life balance. Council work is only attractive if you maintain conditions that keep this work-life balance.
Council are also asking to introduce maximum term employment into the agreement – this is an insecure form of employment where workers can be fired for no assault of their own after notice is given by Council.
What Workers Want:
Workers are looking for:
- A higher pay rise.
- Having the first pay rise for the outdoor staff from certification of the agreement, not next year.
- Backpay to the 1st July 2025.
- We do not want maximum term employment in the outdoor agreement.
- We do not want negative changes to Sunday arrangements in the new agreement.
MEDIA CONTACT: Joey Kaiser (0401098484 | [email protected] )