Across NSW, crucial renewable energy and power transmission projects worth billions of dollars will be hit with major industrial action as workers ramp up demands for fair pay.
Electrical Trades Union NSW members at Transgrid – which includes the troubled $2.3 billion renewables project EnergyConnect in its portfolio – say they will begin industrial action today.
This will include a one-hour stoppage of all ETU members along with six indefinite work bans by control room staff – critical workers in the company’s nerve centre.
Transgrid operations will be disrupted across the board, including at 900km electricity interconnector EnergyConnect, which is already suffering from delays and safety concerns. Planned maintenance work and power outages will also be affected by the industrial action.
A whopping 83 per cent of all Transgrid employees rejected the company’s substandard pay offer.
Emphatic message
ETU NSW & ACT Secretary Allen Hicks said the vote sent an emphatic message.
‘Transgrid is hopelessly out of touch with its workers who are simply seeking a pay rise that helps them keep up with the soaring cost of living,’ he said. ‘Transgrid can easily afford to pay its workers properly yet refuses to, despite a massive pipeline of lucrative work.
‘Transgrid’s insulting pay offer has left workers with no choice but to take industrial action that will affect billions of dollars worth of crucial renewables and transmission projects. Of course, the company could resolve this instantly by returning to the negotiating table with a fair pay offer,’ said Mr Hicks.
‘Transgrid must start treating its workers with the respect they deserve. ETU members reserve the right to escalate industrial action if the company doesn’t get its act together.’
The ETU has made binding safety commitments which ensure that industrial action will never endanger the public or workers.
They say all resources are available to meet emergencies or natural disasters.
