Industrial disputes & news - 4 December 2024
Tassie nurses; Maurice Blackburn; Western Power; St Vincent's; Slater & Gordon; Essential Energy; VicPol; Ausgrid; WA nurses; Woolies; Ventia; Racing Victoria; Qube; Dnata; CSL & more
ANMF Tasmania - Public sector nurses
The ANMF has filed a dispute with the Tasmanian Industrial Commission over “unrelenting and unreasonable” workloads and the state government’s failure to resolve ongoing understaffing issues. Conciliation discussions will be held between the union and the Department of Health this week. Nurses and midwives in Tasmania’s public hospitals participated in industrial action including stopwork action in August and September.
ASU Victoria Private Sector - Maurice Blackburn
Members of the ASU at worker friendly law firm Maurice Blackburn have voted to take industrial action. Workers have been in negotiations for 7 months, fighting for a 19% pay increase over 3 years as well as action on work life balance and improvements to other conditions. MB’s offer is only 10% over 3 years.
ETU WA - Western Power
Last Thursday (28/11), workers at Western Power struck for 24 hours and rallied out the front of Parliament House calling out the government for its failure to hold Western Power accountable for its careless treatment of workers. However, due to bushfires and concern for the community, the ETU then ceased planned industrial action. The union is frustrated with Western Power’s lack of engagement in the negotiation process and has warned “this is not the end of our fight.”
ANMF Vic - St Vincent’s Private
Following stopwork action on 28/11, the ANMF met with St Vincent’s again on 29/11 to discuss staffing and workloads. Management continues to refuse to include ratios in the agreement. Nurses and midwives will again stopwork on Thursday 5 November from 12:30pm - 4:30pm in the Carlton Gardens. Get along to support the ANMF if you can!
ASU - Slater & Gordon
Another worker friendly law firm, Slater & Gordon, has broken off negotiations with ASU members and pushed out an EBA to ballot. According to the AFR, legal assistants and junior lawyers are seeking a 21% pay increase over 3 years, and for the EBA to cover associates and senior associates with more than 3 years experience. Slater & Gordon are refusing to expand EBA coverage, and are offering clerks and legal assistants increases of 11.8%; 13.9% or 21.9% depending on classification. Workers and the union are also dissatisfied with proposed reclassifications. If the ballot fails, the dispute will head to the FWC for mediation. It is understood that union members at Slater & Gordon will meet with the union again today to discuss next steps.
ETU NSW - Essential Energy
The ETU and Essential Energy met in the FWC again last week and discussed a number of clauses. However of the 5 major issues discussed, only one received a suitable response from Essential Energy. Workers at Casino, Buronga, Lismore, Leeton, Dubbo, and Coffs Harbour depots commenced 72 hours strike action yesterday (2/12) to put additional pressure on Essential to come back to the bargaining table ready to negotiate.
TPAV - Victoria Police
Industrial action at Victoria Police continues. Hundreds of police at VicPol HQ in Docklands walked off the job on Friday (29/11). TPAV Secretary Wayne Gatt took this opportunity to refer to protestors as “filthy, disgusting animals” which if he cared for a little reflection may unlock the reason why the cops’ chalking messages on their cars has not been met with the same solidarity extended to paramedics when they chalked their ambulances. Victoria Police have applied for an intractable bargaining declaration, and it is likely a decision will be made on that before Christmas. TPAV want bargaining to continue, and maintain they will continue industrial action. There have been 17 stopwork actions thus far.
ETU NSW - Ausgrid
Workers at Ausgrid continue their industrial action with a stoppage at Banksmeadow depot on 27/11 and a stoppage at Artarmon Depot on 28/11. Meanwhile, Ausgrid is really grinching it up by cancelling not only the half day leave on Christmas Eve for workers, but also the workers’ Christmas party. Ausgrid workers will rally in Sydney on Thursday 5 December at 10am marching from Belmore Park (opposite Central Station) to Ausgrid HQ to demand a fair deal. Get along and support the workers if you can.
ANF WA - Public sector nurses
The ANF in WA (anyone know why they haven’t put midwives in their name unlike the rest of the country?) have rejected the government’s pay deal of 5% in the first year, 4% in the second and 3.25% in the third (12.25% total). The ANF are seeking a 20% increase for members. The new Secretary of the ANF, Romina Rascilla said that she both hoped industrial action could be avoided, and that the government is open to finalising a deal before Christmas. Premier Roger Cook would probably prefer a deal with the nurses is finalised well in advance of the 8 March 2025 state election.
UWU - Woolworths
Workers at Woolies distribution centres will enter their 14th day on strike today. The major tension point has been at the Melbourne South Distribution Centre in Dandenong, where Woolies have tried, and failed, several times to break the picket. Negotiations between UWU and Woolies continued yesterday (3/12). Woolworths has made an application to the FWC to clear the pickets outside the distribution centres, and Murray Watt, his office and the Department have held discussions with both UWU and Woolies urging them to reach a resolution quickly. The FWC will hear the application on Friday. All 4 distribution centres remain closed at the time of writing (late Tuesday night), whilst empty supermarket shelves have already cost Woolies $50 million in lost food sales. Workers are appreciative of solidarity visits to the pickets, and please chip into the strike fund if you can.
TWU WA - Ventia
Court Security and Custodial Officers employed by Ventia struck for 7 hours last Friday (29/11). Workers are demanding the same pay as other Court Security and Custodial Officers with different employers. After their last 4 hour strike action, Ventia attempted to get the FWC to deny the workers their right to industrial action, but failed. Time for Ventia to come to the table with a fair deal for workers.
AWU Vic - Forest Fire Management Victoria
Workers ar Forest Fire Management Victoria (employed by DEECA) commenced industrial action last Thursday (28/11). In addition to a 30 minute stoppage, workers will be participating in bans on non-emergency paperwork; ensuring all breaks are taken at the depot and speaking to the general public about their EBA negotiations. Workers have been in negotiations since June, and are demanding the Allan government break with the wages policy which does not allow for increases over 3% per annum. Workers are demanding 5% annual increases in addition to reaching pay parity with their counterparts employed by Parks Victoria.
VJA - Racing Victoria
The Victorian Jockeys Association has called for senior members to stop riding in “jump outs” from 1 December until they get paid. If like me you’re not into racing a jump out is for horses who are in training, but not quite ready for real races. I think it’s so they can practice being in the barriers with a bunch of other horses. In any case, in an official “trial” jockeys are paid $110 plus super, but in a jump out they get nothing. Although it would seem some trainers argue the jockeys should be thankful for having a ride! Apparently this dispute has been going for almost a decade, with the Chief Executive of the VJA arguing the way forward is to designate jump outs as official trials. I would perhaps argue that like coal miners, a just transition from a harmful industry needs to happen in racing with new, decently paid jobs found for jockeys.
ASU Vic - City of Stonnington
The ASU has reported that workers taking protected industrial action have been met with “hostility, threats, and vengeful tactics” from the bosses. I’m not sure of the particulars, but it sounds pretty dreadful. Workers are participating in a range of bans as well as sharing campaign materials and messages with the general public.
TWU - Dnata
Airport ground workers employed by Dnata have comprehensively voted in favour of taking industrial action. The TWU’s release says the workers are pushing for more hours, fairer rosters and better paid, secure jobs. As we approach the busy Christmas travel period… the last thing the airlines want is for the airports to grind to a halt… so will be interesting to watch this one over the coming weeks.
MUA - Qube
Protected Industrial Action continues at Qube at Brisbane, Port Kembla, and Darwin. From Friday 29 November, there will be a range of daily stoppages and bans. Meanwhile, workers at Qube in Bunbury, Fremantle, Geraldton, Dampier and Port Hedland have voted up protected action ballots. Stay tuned for more action at Qube soon.
AMWU/CPSU/ETU/UWU- CSL
It is understood workers at CSL in Parkville, Victoria took industrial action on Friday (29/11) in the form of a stoppage from 10am - 2pm. I don’t have any other details - but would love to know more!
RTBU NSW - Sydney Trains
The “ceasefire” between the RTBU and Sydney Trains is set to expire on Sunday, with more industrial action likely to kick off on Monday (9/12) if a deal isn’t made. Negotiations have apparently stalled and RTBU State Secretary Toby Warnes was quoted as saying “We’re looking at a number of other actions that we hope will convince Transport to come back to the bargaining table.” Stay tuned!
That’s all I’ve got this week. The pressure of Christmas and the festive season really can be leveraged by workers - definitely worth keeping an eye on how Woolies, Qube and Dnata manage the Christmas crunch. Due to the silly season, I will be taking next week off from the report but I will be back on 18 December to see where all these disputes have landed!
In solidarity, Sarah