Industrial disputes & news - 5 June 2024
Victorian University; Kone; Ipswich Girls Grammar School; Victorian nurses; VicPol; RMIT; City of Ballarat; Wilmar Sugar; AFP; Ambulance Victoria; G4S; ASC;
NTEU VIC - Victoria University
Workers at Victoria University will take a half day of strike action today. NTEU members at all VU campuses will down tools at midday, hold rallies and not return to work for the remainder of the day. The EBA at Victoria University expired in 2019 and despite the best efforts of workers management at VU have brought nothing to the bargaining table - they want to maintain the 2019 agreement with no improvements in pay or condition for workers. Today’s strike follows ongoing industrial action including workbans and making statements about industrial action whilst working.
ETU QLD - Kone
Industrial action continues at the Multiplex job at The Star Gold Coast by Kone workers. Stoppages and workbans have been running for 3 weeks. Workers are fighting for job security and a sub-contracting clause in their agreement.
IEU QLD - Ipswich Girls Grammar School
Teachers at Ipswich Girls Grammar School took 3 hours of strike action yesterday (4/6) for the first time in the history of the school. IEU members at the school began industrial action on 20 May including a ban on attending meetings and not being available to work during breaks. The school responded by docking workers’ pay. No progress was made in negotiations in a meeting between the union and the school on Monday, so the strike action proceeded on Tuesday. Workers are seeking a Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) payment, a new automatic step for experienced teachers and flexible access to leave.
ANMF Vic - Public sector nurses and midwives
Nurses and midwives in Victoria continue “Stage 1” industrial action, and negotiations with the government continue. Would love to hear from nurses and midwives what the vibe on the wards is following workplace meetings with the union.
TPAV - Victoria Police
The Police Association of Victoria has reached an in-principle agreement with Victoria Police. The agreement sees the controversial “9 hours shifts, 9 day fortnights” model be phased in by 2029. This was the major sticking point in negotiations. In relation to wage increases, there is some uncertainty! The Age reported “Front-loaded pay increases will also provide an average wage hike of 4% annually over the next four years”; the Herald Sun reported 16% over 4 years, and the ABC reported both “3% annual salary increase” and “a 16 per cent pay rise over four years.” Why the keen interest on whether it is 3%, 4% or 3% + allowances & one-off payments? The Victorian Government’s Wages Policy allows for wage growth at 3% per annum, something ANMF members are pushing back against. If the cops get 4%, one would hope the nurses would get at least the same (if not more).
NTEU VIC - RMIT
Industrial action continues at RMIT with a range of ongoing workbans on using RMIT systems including Results Processing Online; WorkDay; Student Attendance Tracking System; and Student Administration System. NTEU members will hold a member meeting today at 12:30pm in advance of a 36 hour strike starting at 12:30pm on Thursday 13 June.
ASU A&S Vic - City of Ballarat
Council workers at the City of Ballarat have stepped up their industrial action during the City’s Heritage Festival and White Night celebration. Street cleaners walked off the job from 2pm on Saturday to 5am on Sunday - the peak of the festival. Art Gallery workers stopped work for 10 minutes each hour on Saturday, and struck all day Sunday. Bin collection was disrupted on Monday by strike action in waste management. ASU members are demanding a 17% wage increase over 3 years, but the Council has not budged from their offer of 10.5% over 3 years. The ASU shared that membership at the City Council has increased by 15% over the past month demonstrating the growth opportunities afforded to unions who are organised and prepared to take industrial action. The union is scheduled to meet with the Council again today.
ETU/AMWU/AWU - Wilmar Sugar
Wilmar Sugar has threatened workers by advising that any workers who continue to participate in industrial action will be locked out as of this morning. Participating in industrial action includes attending union meetings about the upcoming EBA ballot which closes on 11 June - the union is running a NO campaign on the boss’ EBA. ETU State Secretary Peter Ong commented that “After 27 years as a union official, the level of bastardry from this company astounds me.” Last week unions requested a boycott of Goodman Fielder products in support of Wilmar workers. Goodman Fielder is also owned by Wilmar International and includes brands such as CSR Sugar, White Wings Flour, Helga’s and Wonder White Breads and Praise mayonnaise. Please get onboard with the boycott to support Wilmar’s striking workers. The combined tactics of a consumer boycott and industrial pressure can be a winning combination, and in this instance could also be buoyed by cane growers dissatisfaction as dates of “the crush” are pushed back.
AFPA - Australian Federal Police
64.49% of unionised federal police voted no to the APS wage deal of 11.2% over 3 years. A spokesperson from the AFP said they had a budget of $350 million to cover the pay increase as well as increases to allowances. AFPA has countered this by saying “If the AFP is in such a bad financial state, then they need to find the courage to have a frank and fearless discussion with the Government and seek further funding.” Federal cops have been undertaking some industrial action - mostly in the form of wearing lanyards/wrist bands, writing messages on AFP vehicles and some workbans. The AFPA is seeking advice about withdrawing police from airports and Parliament House.
VAU/UWU - Ambulance Victoria
92.5% of members voted YES to escalating protected industrial action. The ballot included 127 different types of bans. I think we can now officially say this is a long running dispute, and it seems ambos are prepared to dig in until the government addresses central claims.
CPSU Vic - G4S
Prison guards at Port Phillip Prison took strike action yesterday (4/6) at Port Phillip Prison in Truganina. The strike commenced at 7:30am lasting for 5 and a half hours. The workers have voted down 2 agreements presented by G4S - the most recent included a 3.8% annual wage increase. Workers are demanding a fair pay increase to recognise the cost of living.
AMWU/CEPU SA - Australian Submarine Corporation
No major update, but industrial action continues at ASC in South Australia in their fight for pay parity with WA.
That’s all I’ve got this week! I am going to take next week “off” from compiling the report. It’s a surprising amount of work to put this all together each week, and I could do with a little break. Rest assured, I will be back on Wednesday 19 June to catch up on the past fortnight of disputes. If anything super interesting, important or revolutionary happens in the interim I’ll probably put a tweet or two up. Thanks as always for reading. Leave me a comment and let me know what disputes I’m missing!
In solidarity, Sarah