Gerald Lynch
Some Whittlesea Council staff are refusing to sweep streets, empty bins, clean, issue invoices, answer telephones or process customer requests as the fight over a new Enterprise Agreement ramps up.
Sixty council workers, most of them Australian Services Union members, took protected industrial action on Wednesday, October 25, stopping work for half a day. There was also a full day stoppage in late September.
ASU secretary for Victoria and Tasmania Lisa Darmanin said the spiralling cost of living was the main reason workers were unhappy with the Enterprise Agreement put on the table by council management.
Despite the offer of a minimum eight percent pay rise over the next three years, the workers fear the new agreement would leave them worse off.
In their most recent claim, ASU members have asked for an 8 per cent rise in the first year and 5 per cent in subsequent years.
“The cost of living crisis doesn’t discriminate – all staff at Whittlesea Council are hurting, and they all need a fairer pay deal,” Ms Darmanin said.
Among other claims, the workers want a 35-hour week for band three employees, as well as the right of ‘secondary’ parents to have equal parental leave. They put these and another 50 claims for improved working conditions to council. According to the ASU, the council claimed a 35 hour week would cost ratepayers hundreds of thousands of dollars.
“Our ASU members work in diverse teams across the council. Whilst we have strong membership in the works depot (council drainage, infrastructure and urban assets) and among home care workers, we also have members taking industrial action from teams as diverse as Arts and Cultural Events, Asset Protection, Planning and Building, Youth Services and Community Engagement,“ Ms Darmanin said.
“Whittlesea Council projects an increased and accumulated surplus of over $3 million every year for the next four years, with $75 million of this money dedicated to capital works. Council spends money on buildings, rather than giving their workers a fair wage increase.”
The union also claims the council is using more casual workers.
Whittlesea Council chief executive Craig Lloyd remains hopeful an agreement can soon be reached.
“We have been negotiating in good with faith with the unions over the past seven months to create a new Enterprise Agreement for our 1315 team members,” he said.
“We know the cost of living is a challenge for many people in our community at the moment, including our staff so we have sought to find a balance between appropriate recognition for our people and keeping our council rates as low as possible while still delivering on what we’ve promised to our community.
“We have tabled an offer that we believe is fair and balanced and includes a guaranteed wage increase of a minimum of eight percent over the next three years, as well as an extensive range of employee benefits and conditions.”
Mr Lloyd said council reserved the “right to engage contractors if the protected action may endanger the safety, health or welfare of the population“.
“To meet our responsibilities, council has engaged contractors for litter collection in shopping precincts, parks and playgrounds to ensure sanitation is maintained during protected action.“
Council staff have until November 8 to vote on the proposed agreement.
