Industrial disputes & news - 18 December 2024
Essential Energy; St Vincent's Private; SA Government; Martin Brower; Qube; Rheem; Healthscope; Ipswich CIty Council; FFMV; Maurice Blackburn; Sydney Trains; VicPol; Qantas; WA Public Service & more
ETU NSW - Essential Energy
Workers at Essential Energy kicked off rolling 72 hour stoppages on 3 December, with ETU members stopping work for up to 72 hours each week. This escalation comes after the ETU made an offer, and provided Essential with a deadline to come back to the negotiating table - but the union was met with refusal. The ETU and workers have been at pains to reinforce their safety commitment and to reassure the community they will undertake necessary work, including emergency work - but that during stoppages, that is all the work that will be done. An important time to remember that the Minns Government and Essential Energy could have this sorted very quickly if they wanted. As always - blame the boss, not the workers for any inconvenience.
ANMF Vic - St Vincent’s Private
Nurses and midwives at St Vincent’s Private commenced rolling stop work actions from 7am on Friday 13 December. The stop work actions will see members stop work for up to 4 hours or half their shift (whichever is longer). In addition to the rolling actions, nurses in theatre and recovery will stop work at 12:30pm today and not participate in the afternoon theatre session. The major issue in the dispute is safe staffing levels and nurse/patient ratios.
PSA SA - SA Government
Following an “insulting” offer of 3% annual wage increases, the state secretary of the PSA in SA told the media that members would be commencing industrial action “within the next week” but didn’t disclose any details as that may comprise their position. The PSA commissioned research from the Australia Institute that found the SA economy had grown by around 15% since pre-COVID, and that in the same time period the purchasing power of public sector wages had declined by up to 10%. Time for the government to pay up!
UWU - Martin Brower
On Thursday (19/12), workers at Martin Brower, a cold storage facility will take 24 hours strike action. Workers are fighting for a decent pay increase, and to protect their conditions.
MUA - Qube
On Monday (16/12) wharfies at 10 ports around Australia, and 2 ports in NZ stopped work in an International Day of Action against Qube. Workers at Qube’s bulk and general ports in Australia have been engaged in industrial action since September. Workers at Qube are fighting for a decent agreement that addresses concerns about safety, fatigue and work-life balance. In EBA negotiations, Qube has rejected every major claim put forward by the union. The MUA believes Qube’s strategy is to trigger intractable bargaining provisions and avoid genuine negotiations with workers.
AMWU NSW - Rheem Australia
Workers at Rheem in Rydalmere held a stop work meeting on 6 December to discuss their EBA campaign. Workers subsequently planned a 24 hour stoppage to be held on Friday (13/12). In a very Grinch-like move, the boss sent notice that workers would be locked out for 2 weeks. This comes after months of negotiations with the company refusing to budge on claims for backpay and fair wage increases.
NSWNMA - Healthscope
NSWNMA members at 7 private hospitals in NSW (Campbelltown Private, Northern Beaches, Nepean Private, Newcastle Private, Norwest Private, Sydney Southwest Private and Lady Davidson Private hospitals) have been threatened by their employer, Healthscope, with having their pay docked by up to 33% for participating in partial work bans on non-clinical duties (cleaning, delivering food, emptying bins, stripping beds) and some data entry bans. Shameful behaviour from the employer. Nurses and midwives are too often expected to take on additional duties that take them away from their real job - caring for patients. Nurses and midwives at Healthscope are fighting for a 15% pay increase; an increase in night shift duty penalty rates; mandated nurse:patient ratios; and improved leave entitlements.
AWU/TWU QLD - Ipswich Waste Services
Garbage collectors at Ipswich Waste Services (run by Ipswich City Council) commenced industrial action on Friday (13/12). AWU and TWU members didn’t collect garbage on Friday 13th, and further strikes are slated for Friday 20th, Monday 23rd and Tuesday 24th of December. Ipswich City Council claims that 4 of 7 unions representing workers at the Council have accepted an offer that includes a 12.75% wage increase over 3 years, but it appears the AWU, TWU and CFMEU are holding out for their initial wage claim of 15% over 3 years. Garbage collectors are fighting for not just better pay, but increased superannuation and allowances.
AWU Vic - Forest Fire Management Victoria
As summer warms up, industrial action at FFMV continues. Workers are undertaking a range of bans including log book bans, bans on felling trees for firewood and some tool bans. Workers are also adorning vehicles and work locations. AWU members at FFMV are fighting for a 5% annual wage increases. Due to high fire danger, some industrial action has been paused to ensure community safety.
ASU - Maurice Blackburn
Last Thursday (12/12), ASU members at Maurice Blackburn in Victoria walked off the job as part of their industrial action. Yesterday (17/12), Maurice Blackburn workers across the country took part in a coordinated “coffee break” stoppage. In addition to stoppages workers have added campaign messages to their email signatures and are wearing union badges. Workers are seeking a decent pay increase to keep up with the cost of living, as well as action on work life balance, and paid reproductive leave.
Combined Rail Unions NSW (RTBU/ETU/AMWU/Professionals Australia/ASU) - Sydney Trains
The Sydney Trains dispute is escalating with all unions in the CRU putting out new protected action ballots to circumvent Sydney Trains use of the Federal Court to suspend action. RTBU, ETU and ASU ballots have all had a strong positive response. Renewed industrial action is likely to commence from 28 December, which has alarmed the NSW Government due to the impacts this could have on New Years Eve. State Secretary of the RTBU Toby Warnes reflected on the lack of engagement from the NSW Government claiming “It’s been absolute radio silence. We hope that the government comes to table and comes to us with an offer.” At the time of writing, the CRU were still awaiting a Federal Court decision from Justice Wheelahan from Monday’s hearing over the injunction on last week’s industrial action.
TPAV - Victoria Police
Victorian cops continue their industrial action with 30 minute stoppages at different stations around the state. Cops at Traralgon walked off the job on 11 December, and cops at Belgrave participated in stop work action for the first time in 25 years. It has been estimated the Allen government has lost out on at least $100 million in revenue due to police not issuing thousands of traffic fines. Victoria Police have applied to the FWC for an intractable bargaining declaration.
AMWU/AWU/ETU - Qantas
Qantas engineers walked off the job from 3:30am Friday (13/12) - 7:30am Saturday (14/12). Engineers in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide participated in the action after a 6 week pause in industrial action. The Qantas Engineers Alliance decided to pause action to demonstrate a genuine commitment to reaching an agreement, however Qantas has not shown a similar commitment to negotiations, so industrial action is back on. Workers are demanding a 15% wage increase in the first year of the new agreement, and 5% annual increases. These increases follow a wage freeze for more than 3 years. Qantas is refusing to move on its offer of 3% annual increases. The unions have warned a further stoppage will occur on 20 December if Qantas doesn’t improve its offer. Workers have also voted in favour of a range of work bans including overtime, docking, and marshalling.
ASU Victoria - Vic Roads
ASU members at VicRoads commenced industrial action on Friday (13/12). Workers will participate in bans on wearing uniforms and some system bans. Workers will also distribute campaign materials, wear union apparel and include union campaign messages in emails. The proposed agreement from VicRoads included pay increases of 9%-11.5% over 3 years (depending on Grade); as well as a performance bonus system described as “unfair” by the union.
ETU NSW - Coca Cola
Workers at a Coca Cola factory in Northmead walked off the job last Monday (9/12). Workers are fighting for a decent EBA - with issues with rostering and progression structure, as well as wages. Workers at the Coca Cola factory are earning less than their counterparts at a Pepsi factory. A Coke spokesperson said they were offering “above the award wage” which isn’t really the flex they perhaps thought it was?
ASU Victoria - City of Stonnington
ASU members at the City of Stonnington commenced a broad range of industrial bans last Wednesday (11/12). The list included bans on waste collection, collecting payments, issuing infringements and periodic bans on answering phone calls, instead diverting calls to the CEO, managers and councillors. I guess the CEO didn’t like their phone ringing all the time because on Friday afternoon, the CEO met with delegates and the ASU, and a new offer was made. Industrial action was paused, however at a member meeting yesterday, the revised offer was voted down and a one hour stop work meeting will be held today at 11am outside the Malvern Town Hall.
CFMEU in exile - Australian Government
Last week, CFMEU leaders in exile Michael Ravbar and Kane Lowth had their day in court arguing that the legislation to put the CFMEU into administration is invalid and possibly unconstitutional? The last thing this substack needs is a bush lawyer explanation of complex legal arguments, but I do thank the comrades from the legal realm who have tried to help me understand what is going on! For a bit more info you can watch Michael Ravbar and Jade Ingham’s reflections on the Your Union Your Choice social media pages. Stay tuned for the decision which is due to be made early next year.
HSU - Diana Asmar
On Friday (13/12) the Federal Court made orders barring HWU Secretary, Diana Asmar from carrying out her duties. The orders effectively compel Asmar to stand aside from her position until Justice Craig Dowling decides whether the HWU should be placed in administration. The HSU’s Federal Court application to put the HWU into administration is due to be heard in April. The FWC case against Asmar was due to have a case management hearing on Monday (16/12). The HSU National Office put out a release calling the Federal Court orders a “significant legal victory”.
WAPOU - Western Australian Police
WA’s cops have accepted a revised offer from the state government which includes a 12.75% increase over 3 years (5%, 4%, 3.75%). In October WAPOU members comprehensively rejected the government’s offer of a 12.5% over 3 years, so it would appear that “the biggest increase to police shift allowances in two decades” is what got the revised offer across the line. The WAPOU is part of the “Public Sector Alliance” in WA that has been campaigning for a 12% pay increase over 2 years. The cops’ 12.75% increase over 2 years is the largest wage increase achieved by a member of the Alliance thus far. TAFE and school teachers settled for 12% over 3 years, while RTBU Transit Officers and CPSU/CSA members agreed to 12.5% over 3 years. 93% of HSU WA members rejected a third offer from the Cook government in early November, and are still in dispute; while nurses and midwives are voting this week on an offer of 12.5% over 3 years.
RTBU - Metro Tasmania
The dispute between the RTBU and Metro Tasmania has concluded and industrial action withdrawn as an in-principle agreement has been reached. The agreement includes 3.5% annual increases on top of the 10% “temporary” pay increase paid to drivers late in 2023. In addition to this pay increase, workers will also receive a $500 sign on bonus. The agreement also includes critical incident leave - potentially a first for bus drivers in Australia. The leave would allow drivers to take 3 days off work after a serious incident. Workers will vote on the agreement in the new year.
That’s all I’ve got this week, and in fact - that’s it for 2024! I am going to take a bit of a break over the summer holidays, but I will be back in January. If anything groundbreaking happens in the intervening period (Sydney Trains and Qantas I’m looking at you!) you can find me over on Twitter or Instagram. Thanks so much for reading Disputes Report whether this is your first week, or if you’ve been with me all year. A comrade asked me on the weekend what my hopes were for 2025 - and I’d love to hear yours! Are you kicking off an EBA campaign? Got plans for rank and file organising in your union? Going to try and bring back strike sashes? I’d love to hear your plans!
In solidarity, Sarah
