Energy Queensland Enterprise Agreement Update

Enterprise Agreement negotiations have now been ongoing for some time, and yet it appears Energy QLD is either unwilling or incapable of listening to the legitimate claims of its employees.  Further meetings were held in Townsville this week, yet frustratingly there has been no further movement from Energy Queensland in response to the combined energy industry union claims.  What was glaringly obvious though, was the complete lack of understanding of the claims by Energy Queensland and the breakdown in trust with Energy Queensland reneging on previously agreed claims (including the payment of all overtime at double time). It is not unreasonable for the Unions to expect that Energy Queensland demonstrates respect and appreciation to all staff.

The combined unions have been raising and discussing the same claims since August, yet Energy Queensland has totally missed the mark time and time again. EQL has a standard response of “Energy Queensland is open to further discussion” but does not provide any further collaboration to address our claims. Employees deserve an Agreement that recognises the skills and commitment from employees across all of the business that are required to deliver the QEJP and so far, Energy Queensland hasn’t come close to delivering this outcome.

Throughout the course of the negotiations, we have brought up the possibility of implementing a 32hr work week and this week, our Union tabled a proposal in relation to this. The proposal put forward is for a 32hr week with no loss of pay for Administrative and Professional Managerial Employees.  Energy QLD will consider this proposal and has committed to provide a response. 

If Energy Queensland is genuine about wanting to reach agreement and engage in meaningful discussion, without the need for protected industrial action, there needs to be genuine consideration and considerable movement from the business in response to our claims.

If you do not want your conditions to be left behind when compared with your colleagues and for those conditions to improve in a meaningful way, then we need YOU, as one of our members at EQL, to be prepared to take industrial action when the current Enterprise Agreement expires in February 2024. To ensure effective action can be taken, we ask that you please contact our Union office to provide your up-to-date contact information on (07) 3844 5300.

Together, we can make EQL one of the best places to work in the country. If you know someone who is not currently a member of a union, share this email with them and encourage them to join our Union by clicking the following link, so they too can be part of bringing about meaningful change at EQL.

The Services Union is by your side during these negotiations.