An industrial relations dispute between Noosa Council and its union member workers has escalated, with the council saying any staff involved in strike action today will be subject to an unpaid lockout.
Council CEO Larry Sengstock said he’d advised unions that staff involved would not be paid until Sunday night and required to stay away from council premises, return their vehicles and not utilise IT systems.
“It’s unfortunate it has come to this but while we respect an employee’s right to participate in the notified action, equally as an employer we are taking the necessary steps under the legislation,” Mr Sengstock said.
“The impacts of the ongoing industrial action on the community have led us to making the difficult decision of taking firmer action.”
Today’s planned half-day strike from 12.30pm is set to be the fourth by union members working at the council, following three previous rounds of industrial action since mid-March.
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A media release from the Australian Workers’ Union said more than 100 staff at the council represented by the AWU and The Services Union would lose two days’ pay during a cost-of-living crisis and before the Labour Day weekend, a holiday that is meant to celebrate the rights and achievements of workers in Queensland.
“A lockout is an extreme tactic used by an employer to intimidate their workforce into accepting a bad offer they do not want to accept,” AWU organiser Michael Anderson said.
“The AWU will not accept such heavy-handed tactics from this employer, or any other – all this has done is take this industrial dispute to a place that Noosa residents cannot afford.
“Noosa Council could end this dispute at any time and get services back online across our region by swallowing their pride and making their workforce a fair pay offer that keeps pace with the cost of living and the wages offered by neighbouring councils.
“Our members will meet to discuss their employer locking them out of their livelihood today and from the phone calls I’ve already had I can tell you it ain’t going to be pretty.”
Mr Sengstock said it’s believed about 20 per cent of council staff are involved in the protected industrial action.
Employees involved will be required to recommence work on Tuesday. The lockout won’t affect the continuity of employment for those staff.
“We provided a revised pay offer last week of an additional half a per cent to take the total wage increase to 14 per cent over three years, which was rejected by the unions,” Mr Sengstock said.
“The unions are fully aware that we don’t have a bottomless pit of funds and we have advised them that it’s not appropriate to use cash reserves to fund wage increases.
“We remain committed to finding a compromise that is financially sustainable for our organisation.”
The Services Union lead organiser Tom Rivers said a meeting with Mr Sengstock last week failed to produce a resolution in the dispute over wages and conditions.
“Despite the CEO’s claim that the meeting was to ‘expedite an agreed position’, council is still offering an inadequate wage increase,” Mr Rivers said.
“The CEO presented council’s financial constraints but the facts speak for themselves: Noosa Council has $120.9 million in cash reserves, a 20 per cent vacancy rate and a 16.2 per cent staff turnover rate.
“Council’s refusal to use its substantial cash reserves to address wage increases is unjustifiable, especially given the threat of further staff losses.
“Our union is also frustrated with council’s intention to push the matter to arbitration but, despite this, our members will not be backing down.”
Mr Sengstock said further impacts to council service delivery were expected.
Conciliatory talks between council and the unions resume with a meeting before the Queensland Industrial Relations Commissioner on Wednesday, May 7.
