Industrial disputes & news - 8 May 2024
QLD & WA teachers; WA public sector; Fraser Coast Council; Vic Nurses; NECA; CPB; NTEU; Air traffic controllers; City of Ballarat; Vic Ambos; Triple 0 Victoria; Norfolk Island firies; Vic Pol; ASC
QTU - Queensland public school teachers
I reported last week that the QTU was due to start workbans on Wednesday 1 May, however the QTU was dragged into the QIRC over the proposed bans on Tuesday 30 April, and the Commission ruled the bans would equate to unprotected action. While the QTU’s statement on May 1 states that the QIRC’s decision “will not stop the QTU from campaigning for greater resourcing”, it would appear the specific work bans will have mostly been called off. According to the Courier Mail (so with a grain of salt!) around 35 QTU members rallied at State Parliament on 1 May angry with the QIRC, and demanding the QTU leadership push on with the planned schedule of industrial action, protected or not. Would love to know more about this if there’s any Queensland teachers reading…
HSUWA/UWU- Public Sector health workers
WA public sector health workers held a mass meeting on May Day. As part of the WA Public Sector Alliance they are seeking a 12% pay increase over 2 years. The HSUWA & UWU agreement for health workers is due to expire in June. The HSUWA indicated that industrial action is on the table if a government offer is considered poor, or if no offer is received by the time the agreement expires. In relation to industrial action.
CFMEU QNT/TSU & others - Fraser Coast Regional Council
The seven unions with members at the Fraser Coast Regional Council have given notice of industrial action, but I don’t have any details of that industrial action. Except this Facebook post advising the Nikenbah Waste Facility was closed due to industrial action on May 1.
ANMF Vic - Public Sector Nurses & Midwives
Nurses and midwives in the Victorian public sector commenced “Stage 1 “ industrial action yesterday (7 May) with a range of work bans. The next statewide meeting will only go ahead if the union receives an offer they feel is worth recommending to members. If such an offer is received, the statewide meeting will take place on Thursday 16 May. Otherwise, nurses and midwives will begin “Stage 2” Industrial action from 7am, Friday 17 May.
IEU - NECA
Trainers at the National Electrical and Communications Association (NECA) are taking strike action on Thursday 9 May as their fight for wages comparable with TAFE teachers (a 7.5% increase) enters its second year. Workers have not had a wage increase since 2022.
CFMEU QLD - Cross River Rail (CPB)
CFMEU members on the Cross River Rail job walked off the job on Tuesday last week (30 April) taking protected industrial action in pursuit of a fair deal from head contractor CPB. Workers have long been unsatisfied with how CPB and the AWU are managing safety on the job. Workers are also fighting for fair pay. On 1 May an interim injunction was handed down against the CFMEU after CPB alleged the union put locks on gates and used pickets to block access to sites. It is undertstood the CFMEU and CPB will return to the Federal Court on Friday.
ASU Vic Private Sector - NTEU
ASU members who work at the NTEU took industrial action on Tuesday (7 May). I’m not sure of the nature of the action… if any comrades at the NTEU want to send me a message I’d love to know the specifics! Workers are fighting for a fair pay increase and protection of work from home rights.
Civil Air - Airservices Australia
Air traffic controllers have overwhelmingly voted in favour of taking industrial action. Workers are seeking a 20% wage increase over 3 years as well as improvements to staffing and superannuation. Civil Air (air traffic controllers’ union/professional association) were due to meet with employer Airservices Australia again on Friday (3 May) and must give 7 days notice of any industrial action. Airservices Australia recently reached an in-principle agreement with UFU Aviation Branch averting any industrial action.
AMWU - Saputo
The dispute at the Saputo factory in Burnie continues. Workers are fighting for pay parity with their mainland colleagues. The AMWU estimated Tuesday’s industrial action was a $90,000-$100,000 hit to the company due to wasted product.
SSTUWA - WA public school teachers
The SSTUWA has recommended teachers accept an improved offer of 12% over 3 years from the Cook government. While the wages fall short of the WA Public Sector Alliance demand of 12% over 2 years, SSTUWA president Matt Jarman commented “We’ve always said these negotiations were as much about conditions as they were about pay.” The new offer apparently includes improvements to administration and compliance expectations, support for teachers dealing with students with complex behaviours, increased classroom support and workload reduction measures. Teachers will now be balloted to vote on the proposed agreement.
ASU A&S VIC - City of Ballarat
At a mass meeting last week, workers from the City of Ballarat voted down the bosses’ latest offer because although it had improved in some ways, the wage offer was not enough, and didn’t get workers in line with council workers in Geelong and Bendigo. Workers have commenced industrial action this week with a wide range of work bans being instituted across different work areas. The ASU will meet with City of Ballarat again this week.
RTBU - Transperth
87.5% of RTBU member Transit Officers voted in favour of the improved offer from the Cook government. This makes them the first WA public sector workers to strike a new EBA since the government ended the state’s wage cap in December. The wages component of the offer is a 5% increase backdated to October 2023; 4% in October 2024 & 3.5% in October 2025 - 12.5% over 3 years. The RTBU’s initial demand had been in line with other unions in the WA Public Sector Alliance - a 12% increase over 2 years.
VAU/UWU - Ambulance Victoria
Workers at Ambulance Victoria continue their industrial action. I don’t have any updates on the action, if you do - let me know!
UFU/UWU/VAU/CWU - Triple Zero Victoria
Workers at Triple Zero Victoria (formerly ESTA) will re-commence industrial action today in the form of wearing campaign tshirts. Unions had reached an in-principle agreement with the government, however during the drafting process the unions allege the government has reinterpreted what was negotiated. This results in staff with more than a decade of service receiving the same classification as those with only a year of service. Unions have signalled that if another agreement isn’t reached, more substantial industrial action could be taken.
UFUA - Norfolk Island Regional Council
Firefighters on Norfolk Island who provide both community fire services on the island as well as aviation fire and rescue at the airport have been in negotiations for a new EBA since February, and participated in industrial action in April. The NIRC has stalled and stonewalled their way through negotiations, which included a breach of Civil Aviation Safety Regulations when a Qantas flight landed and took off at Norfolk Island Airport while firies were taking industrial action. NIRC has now cut all overtime and told workers they can only respond to “dire emergencies” out of hours without a definition of “dire”. As such, UFUA member took action again yesterday (7 May) and will do so again on 9 May with the withdrawal of aviation fire and rescue services for 3 hours. Passenger planes are scheduled during the industrial action, which could leave NIRC in breach of the Civil Aviation Safety Regs… again.
TPAV - Vic Pol
Wage negotiations between Victoria Police and the Police Union have broken down over the key item of the proposed 9 hour shift model. Industrial action was “paused” prior to Christmas to enable Victoria Police to work out implementation of the 9 hour shift model. Chief Commissioner Shane Patton has now written to staff with internal modelling showing the move would require 1885 more officers and cost $1.458b. A mediator has been called in to attempt to resolve the dispute.
AMWU SA - Australian Submarine Corporation
Workers at ASC at Osborne Naval Shipyard in SA walked off the job on Monday (6 May). The workers are seeking a 17% pay increase to reach pay parity with their Western Australian colleagues. The AMWU has indicated that members are prepared to undertake rolling stoppages in order to secure a fair pay deal.
ETU NSW - Transgrid
The dispute at Transgrid is also ongoing, but no formal public updates from the ETU for a little while. I suspect this might be due to the legal action the union is taking against the employer.
That’s all I’ve got this week. Thanks to the comrades who helped fill some gaps in the report. If you’ve got some info to share, or if you know about a dispute that’s about to kick off, please feel free to send me an email or leave a comment.
In solidarity,
Sarah