Issuu

CONTENTS

CONTACTS

REGISTERED STATE OFFICE: BRISBANE SECRETARY: Peter Ong 0419 721 046 petero@etu.org.au PRESIDENT: Jason Young 0419 721 044 jason@etu.org.au ASST SECRETARY: Stuart Traill 0488 225 625 stuart@etu.org.au ASST SECRETARY: Chris Lynch 0407 510 329 chris@etu.org.au

FROM THE SECRETARY: PETER ONG

ASST. SECRETARY: CHRIS LYNCH

ASST. SECRETARY: STUART TRAILL

PRESIDENT: JASON YOUNG

NATIONAL SECRETARY: MICHAEL WRIGHT

ELECTRICAL SUPPLY INDUSTRY CONTRACTING: LENNY LANE

LIFT INDUSTRY & GOLD COAST: STEVE BRAVO

CONTRACTING: WENDEL MOLONEY & LUKE ELLIS

NORTHERN TERRITORY: STRAWBS

TOOWOOMBA/SOUTH WEST: DAMIAN HEWAT

BUNDABERG: DAN BESSELL

NORTH QLD: LIAM SHARKEY

CENTRAL QLD: SHAWN HIGGINS

APPRENTICES & APPRENTICES: JOEL COSTA

COMMUNICATIONS, AEROSPACE, GENERAL TRADE, MANUFACTURING

MEET HAYDEN VANDERKRUK: NEW GOLD COAST ORGANISER

22 MEDIA & RESEARCH media@etu.org.au Andrew Irvine 0429 535 860 andrew@etu.org.au 24 William Yates 0448 633 858 will@etu.org.au 25 GOLD COAST OFFICE 26 Steve Bravo 0437 798 007 steveb@etu.org.au 27 6 Bay Street, Southport, QLD 4215

36-HOUR WEEK FOR QUEENSLAND PUBLIC SECTOR SPARKIES

2026 RDO’S & HOLIDAYS

LNP GOVERNMENT: 12 MONTHS OF UNCERTAINCY & INCOMPETENCE

CFMEU ADMINISTRATION

2025 CONFERENCES

THE POWERFUL WOMEN LIGHTING UP OUR INDUSTRY

APPRENTICES: THE FUTURE OF OUR INDUSTRY

110YEARS OF ACTIVISM & STRENGTH

HONOUR BOARD & HONORARY MEMBERS GROUP

MAY DAY

& GOVERNMENT: SCOTT REICHMAN FAR NORTH QLD: ROBERT HILL COAL INDUSTRY & MACKAY: CRAIG THOMAS INTRODUCING DAMO MCGARRY

BEHIND THE GLOVES: ETU MEMBER & BOXER YUNGUBADDIJARRI YANNER 52 AARON “FROSTY” SHELF

TREVOR MOY

STRAIGHT SHOOTER, DIESEL HEART: THE STORY OF JAMIE WALMSLEY

HALL PAYNE WINS FOR ETU MEMBERS

ENTERPRISE AGREEMENT BARGAINING HEATING UP IN THE NT

ETU IN THE COMMUNITY

ETU MEMBERS BUILDING OUR FUTURE

110 YEAR LIMITED EDITION MERCHANDISE

2026 MERCHANDISE COMPETITION

The Official Organ of the COMMUNICATIONS, ELECTRICAL, ELECTRONIC, INFORMATION, ENERGY, POSTAL, PLUMBING AND ALLIED SERVICES UNION of Australia (Electrical Division)

EDITOR EDITOR CONTRIBUTIONS JOURNAL ENQUIRIES ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES

Peter Ong Andrew Irvine & William Yates (07) 3846 2477 (07) 3846 2477

Contributions from our members of articles and photos for this journal are always welcome. Please email materials to will@etu.org.au

BRISBANE ORGANISERS Wendel Moloney Scott Reichmann Jimmy Little Luke Ellis Joel Costa Darren Wood

0409 769 625 wendel@etu.org.au 0437 184 399 sjr@etu.org.au 0417 670 821 jimmy@etu.org.au 0456 592 084 luke@etu.org.au 0427 601 994 joel@etu.org.au 0400 192 390 darren@etu.org.au

INDUSTRIAL OFFICERS Lisa Midson Kait Teague

0456 849 544 lisa@etu.org.au 0484 265 162 kait@etu.org.au

TRAINING OFFICER Damien McGarry

0407 819 011

TOOWOOMBA OFFICE Damian Hewat 19 Russell Street, Toowoomba P 07 4638 9313

damien.mcgarry@etu.org.au

0437 012 451 damian@etu.org.au

SUNSHINE COAST Dan Bessell 0437 184 315 daniel@etu.org.au 6/33 Bulcock Street, Caloundra Qld 4551 P 07 5341 8927 CENTRAL QUEENSLAND OFFICES Shawn Higgins 0448 633 579 shawn@etu.org.au 81 Hanson Rd Gladstone Qld 4680 gladstone@etu.org.au MACKAY OFFICE Craig Thomas 0419 721 029 thommo@etu.org.au Qld Council of Unions, 41 Brisbane St, Mackay 4740 P 07 4953 4799 NORTH QUEENSLAND OFFICE Liam Sharkey 0498 278 976 liam@etu.org.au Lenny Lane 0428 392 935 lenny@etu.org.au 64 Ross River Rd, Mundingburra (PO Box 5800) Townsville 4812 P 07 4728 2443 FAR NORTH QUEENSLAND OFFICE Robert Hill 0430 072 049 robert@etu.org.au 3/25 Grafton Street, Cairns, QLD, 4870 P 07 4051 3472 NORTHERN TERRITORY OFFICE Dave "Strawbs" Hayes 0419 721 042 strawbs@etu.org.au First Floor 38 Woods Street (PO Box 4053) Darwin NT 0801 P 08 8941 2300

41 Peel Street South Brisbane 4101 P 07 3846 2477

E info@etu.org.au 1800 ETU YES (1800 388 937) 3 www.etu.org.au

FROM THE SECRETARY Welcome to the 110th volume of the Electrical Worker. This year we celebrate 110 years since the formation of the mighty Queensland/Northern Territory branch, when electrical workers decided they were no longer represented well enough within other unions, and as the electricity industry developed in Queensland, they needed their own union to respond to the day to day challenges they faced performing specialised work. And so on the 28th of July 1915 the first general meeting of the Electrical Trades Union of Australia, Queensland branch was held. Since then, the Queensland/Northern Territory branch has grown to over 16000 finacial members and become one of the greatest campaigning unions in the country, we have stared down anti worker governments and taken on and beaten multinational employers. In the process delivering some of the best wages and conditions across all our industries, from a culture of grass roots organising and with the assistance of over 400 delegates across all industries and regions. When I realised that this edition of the Electrical Worker was going to be volume number 110 in the year our branch turned 110 it was a no brainer that we needed to make it a special edition annual in time for Christmas. To give you a bit of an insight into your organisers, I have asked all of your officials to start their articles with a bit about why and when their union journey began. I am proud of our union, its members and their achievements over the last 110 years and it is a privilege to be the secretary of this great union.

Peter Ong

I started my time in 1986 as a 15-year-old apprentice on the Burrup in Karratha, WA, on the largest gas project in the southern hemisphere at the time, the first stage of what has now become the Pluto gas project. At the time, Ralph M. Lee Electrical had picked up the $50 million underground cabling contract, so as a skinny 15year-old kid, I moved into a 7,000-man construction camp with eyes wide open. I remember my first day on the job, at that stage of the project, it was a 30-acre flat pad with 8-foot trenches criss-crossing the length and breadth of it. I was driven down to one of the cable gangs by leading hand Dusty Miller, 40 men dressed in shorts, singlets and work boots pulling a 300mm, 4-core, steel wire armoured lead sheath cable off a 12-foot cable drum, in 45degree heat. I was told to get on the end of it. The only problem was I could hardly lift it, and after 15 minutes of trying to pull it, I passed out from heat stroke. The leading hand dragged me over to the only shade, which was the next cable drum, and said, “Put your head between your legs, you’re not at school now son.”

Over the next two years on that project I learnt a lot about mateship, character and integrity as well as hard work, but my first lesson was about the trade union movement and the importance of collective workers power. That first week on the job I was introduced to the delegate Geoff “Hoggy” Guest who signed me up and began my education on trade unionism, a great mentor and I’m proud to say still a close friend and mentor to this day nearly 40 years later. In 1988 I transferred back to Brisbane, working on the construction of the Commonwealth Bank building, and Expo 88 and after two years of working in the Burrup its safe to say I wasn’t exactly your shy do as your told apprentice. In fact, I was probably the only apprentice in the union at that time, and very vocal. After expo, a downturn in work saw me finish my last year at George Gilbert motor rewinders and John Breen switchboard manufacturers in the valley.

After my apprenticeship I spent most of my time working projects around Australia, New Guinea and Indonesia on oil and gas and infrastructure where more often than not I would be elected delegate representing my workmates and, unknown to me at the time, learning the craft that would one day see me lead our union. After working in Indonesia for a number of years I returned to Australia and was again elected delegate on Woodford Prison and then Chermside shopping centre before coming to work as an organiser in February 2000. Those earlier years were some of the toughest but most enjoyable as we had to start from scratch. Electricians were some of the lowestpaid workers in the construction industry with a labourer pushing a broom on $18 an hour and an electrician on $17 an hour. We had to learn how to be organisers and we had educate our members how to stand together to deliver the wages and conditions they deserved. Through some tough but strategic campaigns, we very quickly went from the lowest paid to the highest paid in the construction industry, and we haven’t looked back, applying the same strategic campaigning across all our industries to deliver the standard of working conditions that our members deserve. This year as usual has thrown up its own challenges both politically and industrially and we have faced them head-on. From the administration of the CFMEU and now Royal Commission, the wrecking ball LNP Government and picketline after picketline, as we organise and educate our members to stand up and take what is rightfully theirs. Bad governments come and go, Bad laws come and go, Bad employers come and go, through it all, one thing hasn’t changed: our unwavering commitment to continue delivering safe, secure and wellpaid jobs for our members, their families and their communities. After 25 years as an official for our union one thing has never changed the balance of power in the employment relationship is always in favour of the employer, and the only way to balance that out and tip it in favour of the workers is to bring the workforce together as a collective. A tough, smart, organised workforce can never be defeated. I hope you enjoy the 110th edition of Electrical Worker please take the time to read the updates on your industries and the stories of some of our delegates and your organisers. I want to wish all of our members and their families a merry Christmas and a happy new year. I hope you take some time with your families and I will see you all in the new year.

IF YOU DON’T FIGHT YOU LOSE. ONGY 5

Membership Report Transport Contracting

Supply Authority

Northern Territory

Comms/Aerospace/Manufacturing

General Trade

Women

Total Membership

20000

15000

10000

5000

2015

2020

2025

2015

Apprentices

2020

Total Membership

2025

As we review our ETU Qld and NT membership numbers over the past 10 years, we can see natural peaks and troughs, but we are now in the strongest position we’ve ever been. Our total membership continues to grow, and we’re also seeing significant increases in key areas such as women and apprentices. This is fantastic progress and reflects the direction we’re committed to building on for the future.

“A MESSAGE FROM THE WIP GROUP, CEO”

Your Union the mighty ETU QLD Branch has done a great job in securing the financial security of members through fighting for and winning employer funded group income protection. There are over 168 ETU QLD EBA’s with income protection covering more than ¾ of the membership. Income protection ensures the standard of living you enjoy continues if you are injured or become ill and cannot work. A good union job should include employer funded income protection. The WIP group is working with the ETU to ensure every EBA has employer funded group income protection. Those members not currently covered by income protection have accesses to market leading individual income protection at reduced rates via Canopy: www.canopyinsurance.com.au/etu. Iencourage anymember ofthe ETUpleasereach out andcontact our Growth and Partnerships officer Michael Clayton on 0491919950 or michaelc@windsorip.com.au.

In Unity, Jason Potter Rose ETU Member 93553

CAPITAL BENEFITS POLICY WIP Group proudly supported the ETU in strengthening its capital benefits policy, doubling the solidarity payment from $500 to $1000 and introducing a new $2500 specified illness benefit for members. 16,300 MEMBERS COVERED

OVER 168 TOTAL ACTIVE POLICIES

$25 MILLION PAID TO ETU MEMBERS

WIP Group Income Protection has PAID OUT OVER $25 million since 2020 in support to ETU Members and their Families.

Assistant Secretary Contracting

I’ve been a proud union member all my working life, holding delegate positions with both the ETU and the AMWU. Unionism, to me, is an extension of the working-class values I was raised with, community, respect, and always looking out for one another while leaving things better than you found them. My mum’s parents were £10 Poms from Scunthorpe, a steel town in working-class Humberside, UK and I grew up in Wollongong’s industrial heart, where my dad worked in the mines and was a strong union man until his death. Though I didn’t know it at the time I reckon losing him to a preventable illness when I was just 14 lit a fire in me to fight for safer workplaces and stronger industrial manslaughter laws.

From a young age, I was around unionism, on picket lines and delivering food parcels with dad, it felt good to be part of something bigger than yourself. I carried that with me into my working life as a delegate in NSW before moving north and becoming an outspoken member on construction and mining jobs in Queensland, where Ongy encouraged me to step up as a delegate. In 2010, I became an organiser, and by 2017, I became the Contracting Industry Coordinator. In 2019, I was humbled to be elected unopposed as Assistant Secretary alongside Stuey Traill. It was something I never expected, and I remember feeling incredibly proud and honoured that the members and the union trusted me with that responsibility. I’ve never forgotten where I came from, and I give 100% every day for the members. It’s the way I live my life. I want to take a moment to run through the ugly, the bad, and the good of 2025, much of which others will touch on as well, but these are the key developments specific to the construction industry. The state election result, which saw the LNP elected just over a year ago brought with it a range of new challenges, some of which were immediate. We saw changes to Health and Safety Right of Entry under Section 117, the suspension of BPICs, and the winding back, or outright scrapping, of hard-fought improvements to the Work Health and Safety and the Electrical Safety Act’s access-to-information provisions. The changes were pushed through by the pathetic excuse of a minister in Jarrod Bleijie. We have also seen punitive and vindictive overreach, with threats to withdraw funding from vital initiatives such as Mates in Construction. On top of that, the Queensland Commission of Inquiry into Misconduct by the CFMEU will undoubtedly present its own challenges.

Proud. Strong. Safe. Empowered. United. That’s the ETU.

ChrisLynch Lynch Chris

When it comes to the ugly, the LNP Government has effectively pulled the handbrake on major infrastructure projects, including the Olympics and the health and hospital rebuild programs. Many projects are stalled, and despite all the spin, there has been little to no genuine progress on the Olympics build. It’s been a year of lost momentum, with projects commenced under the Miles Government now either stalled or cancelled altogether, all the while costs increase. However, it’s not all bad news. Despite the chaotic government mismanagement surrounding us, our union has continued to grow in strength, activism, and engagement. This is clearly reflected in the growth of our sub-branches, particularly on the Gold Coast, which is going from strength to strength. We have also welcomed two new organisers, Hayden and Joel, to expand our reach and prepare for the significant influx of work expected over the next few years. Looking ahead, we are strengthening our Foundation. Delegate Training is being rolled out, and our delegate structures are being refined to ensure consistent communication and strong connections across all sites. We have also achieved outstanding results in our 2023–2026 Queensland EBA, with close to 90 contractors signed on by the end of 2025. While in the Northern Territory, it has also been another big year for our construction members. After extensive planning and refining, the Territory-specific EBA is finally coming together. At the time of writing, I’m heading up to Darwin for a second meeting, a mass meeting of employers, you could say, and the feedback so far has been strong. Despite the challenges, we finish the year more united, more organised, and more determined than ever to stand up for our members and our industry. With the next EBA due for negotiation in 2026, we are busy preparing for some big claims not least of all will be the exploration of a 32-hour, 4 day working week. This and other proposals will be discussed by delegates at the next Delegate Conference scheduled for early March before the contents of the log will be voted on in mass meetings in May 2026, it’s going to be a big year, stay tuned for finalised dates etc through our socials and subbranches. Shout out to all the delegates who have done an outstanding job this year, building our membership over the past year, as always, we are looking to increase our delegate numbers in 2026. As discussed earlier when the government finally releases the handbrake on the Olympic build which is now getting to a critical timeframe with the games just six short years away, we need to be ready to go. We know there will be an influx of sparkies coming into Queensland and our job as always is to ensure that every site is unionised. The completion of the Queen’s Wharf project was a major highlight this year. It was a fully unionised site with a strong delegate structure that kept the project safe, productive, and successful. Hats off to Organiser Wendel, Senior Delegate Coxy, and the entire delegate team for showing what can be achieved through unity and consultation.

Assistant Secretary Supply Industry I have now been an ETU Organiser since July 2008, firstly as the inaugural FNQ Organiser until 2013 when I took over the responsibility of representing the Electricity Supply Industry. Prior to that I worked at FNQEB and Ergon Energy for nearly 20 years. I was an active delegate for a number of years prior to the 2007 Federal Election where I was the Leichhardt Your Rights at Work Campaign Coordinator. Unionism has been a passion of mine since childhood where my parents and grandparents would constantly talk about the need for workers to organise and take collective action. The last year in the Electricity Supply Industry has been a year of change, with the LNP winning the Queensland election we are now starting to feel the full impacts of a conservative government, which is a train wreck for workers. The Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan and legislation enshrining public ownership has been repealed. The Energy Roadmap has outlined their plan to privatise our industry, Copperstring is proposed to be funded and owned by private sector investors. Pumped hydro’s such as Mt Rawdon are privately owned and future pumped hydro’s are also going to be privately owned. The Energy Workers’ Charter that delivered a genuine transition for workers, has been thrown in the rubbish bin, further demonstrating that the LNP don’t care about workers. Government budget cuts are hitting hard with the corporations being forced to make significant cuts, this impacts on jobs and the required work on the transmission and distribution networks. With the pipeline of renewable connections slowing significantly it has also hit Yurika members with the decision to roll Yurika into the regulated business which we are working through to ensure that ETU members have a secure job into the future. This is nothing that we haven’t seen and dealt with before from LNP Governments, every single time they get elected they cut, sack and privatise.

The next couple of years will be a period of time where we are going to have to maintain solidarity against stupid decisions that are made by management. Any cuts that impact on safety of our members, the community and the reliability of the network we are going to have to resist. We will and have done that in the past by sticking together. This is also a period of time for us to build our activism through until 2028 when our Industry EBA’s expire, 6 months before the 2028 State Election. We cannot allow this or any government to erode hard fought for and won wages and conditions. Our industry is being privatised by stealth by this government. The people of Queensland have consistently rejected privatisation, it’s our job to expose this rotten government. Our assets are Not4sale, not now, not ever. 2025 has seen the culmination of our EBA’s including for the ESI Contractors. Taking on and beating multinationals like UGL and Downer to achieve Transmission EBA’s, 40 years after the SEQB dispute demonstrates that if we organise and are prepared to fight it may take time but eventually we win. The ETU Queensland and NT Branch is more than a Union, it’s a family. Victory to the ETU!

Stuart Traill

The President

I have been fortunate to have been an official for 23 years, starting as a Recruitment Officer in March 2002 before becoming an organiser in November that same year. Over that time, I have represented members in various industries for differing periods, from Supply Contracting, Manufacturing and General Trade, but I have mostly represented Generation since about 2010 and Rail since the beginning. I was asked to come in and do an interview for the role of Recruitment Officer by then State Secretary Dick Williams because I had been an active young member. My passion for unionism comes from wanting to ensure that we hand the next generation better working conditions than the ones we inherited. Coming from a family where my mother was my father’s disability carer, I wanted to help as many people as possible get a decent wage each week and never be left behind. 2025 has been a massive year for the ETU Qld & NT Branch. We held our 110-Year Biennial Conference, where our elected delegates set a clear direction for the next two years. We debated the union’s position on nuclear energy, political affiliation, and other important agenda items. These conferences are crucial to the way our union operates. We also led the May Day marches in Brisbane and across the regions, in recognition of our 110 years strong. We had one of our biggest turnouts of members and their families, all ready to celebrate our wins and remember where we came from. Personal victories for me are hard to express, as everything we do is for our members. The old saying is true: if the members are happy, so am I. I believe that, as a group of officials, we have delivered in spades for our members in various ways. This year has seen our union grow from strength to strength. This year we have employed a new organiser who will be taking over Rail (amongst other areas). For me, it’s bittersweet, as this will be the first time I haven’t looked after Rail for nearly 23 years. However, it will allow me to focus better on the role of President. So, part of my industries will see fresh blood in Darren Wood as their official and he has really hit the ground running so far. Generation has had a rough year, as the new LNP Government has set about dismantling the protections the ETU delivered as part of the Energy Industry Workers Charter. They have created so much uncertainty in workers’ futures that it is almost criminal. But the LNP have never looked after a worker and never will, so what did we expect? Despite this, we have seen our membership grow as our delegates lead the way in their workplaces.

Three Words to Describe 2025? Family, Strength and Passion

Jason Young

This year, I have been most proud of the work our delegates and officials have done each and every day to grow our strength in the industry. We have never had as many members or as much activism as we do right now, and this is the result of decades of hard work from our predecessors laying the foundation we now walk on. Through Enterprise Agreements we have delivered world-class wages and conditions, and our HSRs ensure the safety of our members is always front and centre in the employers’ minds. Being ETU means so many different things that it’s hard to explain, but the easiest way is this: it’s being part of a very large family that, no matter what, has your back. It’s not always going to be good times, but the ETU is there to walk you through the tough times. When you are going through a blue, there is no better feeling than knowing you aren’t alone and that you have in excess of 15,000 members with you. It’s a pretty good feeling knowing you aren’t alone.

National Secretary

In Solidarity, Jason Young

Congratulations to the mighty ETU Qld & NT on 110 years of union power, solidarity, and the willingness to always stand-up fight and win better for all. This, my home branch, it has a staunch union history of strong and wise union leaders and a membership that has always put the collective first, supported and fought for their community. What can I say about the Qld & NT Branch. It took me in and taught me what it means to be union. From leaders like Dick Williams and Simmo, to delegates and workplace leaders like Millsy, John Taylor, and Joey Fiteni, I’ve been taught by the very best. If I start making a list of everyone I’ve learned from, then I’ll take up the whole journal. I was only meant to work for the union for a few weeks, 18 years later I’m still here and I’ll live and die ETU proud. I’ve now got the privilege of leading our great union nationally, and it’s all because of the values the ETU Qld & NT Branch instilled in me. From that moment in 1915 when a group of Queensland sparkies knew they needed better and stronger representation and came together to form the Qld & NT Branch of the ETU; this union has never stopped; never stopped working to win better for Queensland and Northern Territory workers. We’ve had good times and we’ve had bad. But even in our darkest days, like during SEQEB, we’ve never stopped fighting. Let’s not forget that it was this fighting spirit which saw us take on Campbell Newman, at times singlehandedly, and stop his mad privatisation agenda. Strength in your arms, comrades. We all celebrate this last 110 years with you and know the next 110 will see us grow even stronger. If you don’t fight, you lose. In union, Michael Wright, ETU National Secretary.

Michael Wright

ESI CONTRACTING: LENNY

Growing up in Winton, a tiny outback Queensland town of just 856 people, you learn early what matters most: your word, your name, and the way you treat others. My grandmothers, Joy and Audrey, made sure of that. They cared for me a lot when I was young and taught me, in their own quiet way, that integrity is everything. No matter who someone is, where they come from, or the colour of their skin, you treat them fairly. Those lessons have stuck with me my whole life. They’re at the heart of how I see the world, and they’re the foundation of my union values. My dad, Leonard, was a proud trade unionist for more than twenty years, a delegate at local councils. We didn’t talk about it much at home, but I always knew being in the union meant standing by your mates. From shearing sheds to butcher shops, on building sites and power lines, I’ve carried that spirit with me. It wasn’t until I joined the electrical industry and became part of the ETU that I really understood what it meant, not just to be in the union, but to live it. Every day I get up driven by one thing: making a difference. Giving workers a voice, especially when they feel they don’t have one on their own. That’s what it’s all about. Just over 12 months ago, I stepped into the role of organiser for the Electrical Supply Industry Contractors and had to hit the ground running. Key agreements with supply contractors had expired, and the pressure was on. By Christmas, we had a couple of the big players on board. Once they were locked in, the rest started to follow. We then turned our focus to transmission, at the time, only two of the major corporations, UGL and Downer, were operating in the state. Negotiations were painfully slow, and they flat-out refused to backpay members. That’s when members got active and organised. We built 100% membership density across both companies and got a Protected Action Ballot (PAB) up. From there, the fight was on. In total, 27 notices were lodged and the corporate juggernauts were brought to their knees. This was the first time the transmission construction sector had stood up and fought back in the last 40years in this state and a first for contractors. Members stood strong, and we won. It wasn’t just a win, it set a new benchmark across the transmission sector, locking in industry-leading wages and conditions. Greenvale in North Queensland has basically become my second home. I’ve spent countless hours out there holding UGL to account and it’s paid off. Off the back of the Industry Agreement, members are active and have forced more companies to sign up. The message is clear: if you want skilled workers, you must come to the table. The fight continues. Victory to the ETU!

Lenny Lane

Despite all the challenges, our union is continuing to grow. Depot after depot is hitting 100% membership density not because it’s easy, but because members know exactly what they’re fighting for. Hard-won wages and conditions, backed by a strong union, are drawing people in. Retired workers are coming back on the job and others are crossing state lines just to be part of what we’ve built here. That level of commitment speaks volumes about the strength of our union. Recently we held our Annual Delegates Conference. For the first time, we brought supply industry and contractors delegates together in the same room. The unity was powerful, the discussions were robust, and the outcomes were solid. Delegates left more connected, informed, and ready to lead the fight in their own workplaces. While we’ve had some major wins, unfortunately there’s no denying the damage being done by this grubby LNP State Government. Their interference is having devastating impacts across the industry. Projects are being pulled left, right and centre. Workers are being forced into impossible choices, cross the border for work or face redundancy at home. Metering, pole nailing, substations, transmission, every part of the sector is being hit. This is why our unity matters. We’ve taken on the big players and won (governments and employers), we’ve shown what we can do when we’re organised and stand in solidarity.

LIFT INDUSTRY & GOLD COAST: BRAVO

I was first elected as a delegate in 2010. Ongy was my organiser at the time and I was working at the Brisbane Law Courts. We had 100% membership on that job, peaking at around 150 ETU members. Every Friday we would read out the financial member list on site. It was a great job with strong conditions, and we had a lot of wins along the way, including instating a full-time paramedic onsite. After completing that project, I decided to head out to the major projects. Being a delegate on those jobs was a real eye-opener, it wasn’t just about site issues but also dealing with camp problems, rostering, fair travel times for members, and making sure accommodation standards were acceptable. Across the major projects, delegates worked together to hold management to account, organise fundraising events, and give back to the community. This ensured the regions we worked in understood the good work ETU members were doing. The Lift Industry in Queensland and the Northern Territory is going from strength to strength. Over the past two years, our focus has been on helping members understand that in order to achieve decent wages and conditions, we have to fight for them. These multinational companies always push back, which is why it’s vital that we stand together in solidarity and fight as a union. Since the implementation of the Lift Industry State Sub-Branch, the sector has become stronger and it’s been a great platform to build momentum leading into enterprise agreement campaigns. The State Sub-Branch Committee includes elected representatives from Kone, Schindler, Otis and TKE, ensuring all major lift companies have a voice. We currently hold four meetings each year and have expanded to include a regional meeting on the Gold Coast, which continues to grow membership and engagement. These meetings give members a space to raise issues, discuss the direction of the industry, and contribute to collective decisionmaking, a huge positive for our industry and our members. I’ve also identified delegates across various construction projects and provided them with the training, tools, and support they need to excel in their roles. Building confident and capable delegates remains one of our key strengths in the Lift Industry. The past two years have delivered significant results in wages and entitlements. These wins haven’t come easy, multinational employers always push back, but the solidarity of our members has consistently prevailed. Major achievements include income protection for all members, 18.5% wage increases over three years, all overtime paid at double time, superannuation increases of 2.25% lifting the rate to 15%, job security clauses in new agreements, and a multi-storey allowance from the commencement of projects. A strong focus remains on lift safety and improving standards across the industry. Initiatives include lift shaft fall protection, ensuring members have access to AS4431 “Safe Working on New Lift Installations in New Constructions,” effective lift shaft emergency lighting and response plans, and education around managing silicosis risks when installing and maintaining lifts. Our ongoing priorities are building delegate structures, conducting regular site visits to address safety and report to members, holding quarterly sub-branch meetings, and mapping lift companies without agreements so we can organise and lift standards across the board.

Recent enterprise agreements have also seen members take protected industrial action. Including targeted site bans, 24-hour stoppages, overtime bans and specific client bans, all of which have proven effective. These actions demonstrate that members are united and prepared to stand up for fair wages and safe conditions. As we continue to focus on industry-standard wages and conditions, the workload in our sector keeps increasing, especially as we move toward the 2032 Olympics. There’s never been a better time for members to push for improvements and lock in strong agreements across all regions. Our next major campaign will be the 2027 EBA negotiations. A draft Log of Claims will be developed through the Lift Sub-Branches from late this year into 2026, before being endorsed at a mass meeting of all Lift Industry members in 2026. We’ll also continue holding individual company Log of Claims meetings leading into bargaining to ensure every member’s voice is heard. On the Gold Coast, we’ve seen significant progress with the 36hour week Gold Coast City Council EBA delivering wage increases upwards of 18%. Activism and delegate structures across the region continue to grow, with sub-branch attendance regularly between 80 and 150 members. Our annual Christmas charity raffle and auction has also become a highlight, raising funds for local causes and strengthening our connection to the community. Looking ahead, the combination of strong sub-branches, active delegates, and engaged members will ensure the Lift Industry remains a leading force within the ETU. In 2025, I’ve been most proud of the way sub-branches have grown, bringing members together, creating new ideas, and supporting the community. The Christmas charity auction has been a standout, and if you’re on the Gold Coast on Saturday 6th December, make sure you come along to this year’s event. There’ll be great auction items, raffles and plenty of ETU spirit, all supporting a good cause. The future of the Lift Industry is bright. With strong members, active delegates, and the power of solidarity, we’re building something special together. For me being ETU means something to be proud of knowing what others have fought for in the past and that the fight and wins will always continue in the future. “If you don’t fight you lose, If you don’t fight you fall behind!” Bravo 3 WORDS TO DESCRIBE 2025 FIGHTING, WINNING, WORTHWHILE

Steve Bravo

CONTRACTING: WENDEL

I began my union journey as an ETU Apprentice Delegate in 2004, before being appointed and elected to State Council and Executive positions, and eventually coming into the office as a State Organiser in 2011. While we’ve seen a lot of changes in the union and industry during this time, I strongly believe that we are in the best position possible, not just for our membership, but for trade unionism in general. As 2025 draws to a close, ETU Contracting is in a strong position, that all members should be proud of. While workflow has been up in the air with a change of state government, we have a range of projects coming online in the near future that will offer continuity of work for many, coupled with a strong EBA delivering positive outcomes to our members and their families. This year we’ve seen a strong EBA outcome for our UGL Busways membership, building on an agreement that delivers wages and conditions they can be proud of. DM Roads Agreement this year delivered an outstanding outcome with 18%, 3.5% and 3.5% increases over 3 years. A 25% increase over the life of the agreement is the highest wage outcome i’ve been involved with and I’m proud of the resolve of our membership to fight for such an outcome. Currently I’m negotiating an agreement with Ventia Asset Infrastructure, who maintain The Gateway and associated roads, this is a space we’ve not had an EBA before and the membership there are keen to stand up and be counted. I’m also pleased to report that Programmed are now an EBA company. Our delegate structure continues to go from strength to strength, with a great cohort of educated, intelligently militant working delegates. Our quarterly delegates meetings have been a large part of the growth in this space, and we look to continue providing the support, education and resources we need to give them the best opportunity to provide the structure our membership deserves. While other unions’ fortunes rise and fall, it’s fair to say the ETU has been on a steady incline, and that comes down to who we are as a core. We have working delegates who strive to work for our membership day in day out. Our State Executive and State Council are made up of rank-and-file members. Our union officials all come from the floor, and we hold collectivism passionately in our hearts, never forgetting where we come from. We are a campaigning union who are never afraid to fight for what’s right in our workplaces and society as a whole. This year is our 110 year anniversary, and I’m proud to be part of a union that’s in the best position to be here for another 110 years to come!

DARE TO STRUGGLE, DARE TO WIN!

Wendel Moloney

CONTRACTING: LUKE I first put my hand up to be a delegate in 2015 while working for Fredon on the 1 William Street project. There was a need for another delegate on site, and I figured it was time to step up. Like most delegates starting out, there were moments of uncertainty. It’s a big responsibility representing your workmates, but the drive to make things fairer and improve my workplace and the wider industry always outweighed the nerves and personal sacrifices. Once I saw what could be achieved through collective action, I was hooked. There’s nothing better than seeing the look on the face of the boss when they’re trying to do the wrong thing and realise they can’t get their way. It’s the best feeling in the world! After that, I was elected as delegate across a range of commercial construction projects, building my skills and confidence in organising, safety and industrial campaigning. What I enjoy most is bringing new members into the union and showing them firsthand how powerful it is when workers stay solid, turning tough situations into wins by sticking together. 2025 has been another big year in construction and 2026 is looking to be even bigger. Despite a hostile state government and anti-worker laws, ETU members have continued to support each other and achieve strong outcomes on wages, safety and conditions right across Queensland. What I’m most proud of this year is the way our members have carried themselves. While the media and politicians have tried to smear workers and the bluecollar union movement, our members have stayed disciplined, boxed smart, and refused to take a backward step. We’ve shown that when workers are organised, locked in together and staunch, no amount of political pressure can shake us. In particular, I’d like to mention the ETU members who were working out at the Mt Crosby water treatment plant upgrade project for labour hire, who under difficult circumstances locked-in and got themselves employed directly and were backpaid all underpayments owed to them. It was a fantastic outcome that was only possible due to grassroots unionism. I’d also like to give a shoutout to all of our hardworking members and delegates across the various construction projects in my patch, if I was to try and list the wins members have achieved on these jobs there would be not much room in this journal for anything else. Amazing work comrades.

The Construction Industry has a huge amount of work ahead, from infrastructure and renewables, to major commercial projects. The future’s bright, but only if we ensure the work is done safely and fairly, under a rocksolid electrical licensing system. Even with anti-worker legislation and constant attacks on workers in the Construction Industry, we know one thing for certain, when we stand together, we win. The challenge now is to keep growing our membership, keep building strong job sites, and make sure that every new worker who walks through the gate understands what being ETU really means. For me, ETU means looking out for the worker beside you. It means checking in when someone’s doing it tough, refusing unsafe work, and never letting the bosses chip away at what we’ve fought for. It also means being strategic. We don’t throw wild haymakers when we’re on the ropes… We plan, we organise, we fight like hell, and we win the smart way. That’s how the ETU has survived every attack and come out stronger every time and will continue to do so for another 110 years to come. See you on the job!

THREE WORDS TO DESCRIBE 2025 RESILIENT. UNITED. STRATEGIC.

Luke Ellis

NORTHERN TERRITORY: STRAWBS

Originally from Melbourne I was first elected as a Shop Steward in the 90’s, performing that role and HSR roles down there for many years, on plenty of big construction jobs around Melbourne. I moved to North Queensland in 2004 and didn’t take long to get involved with the ETU Queensland and Northern Territory Branch. I got into FIFO work with some time in Weipa, many years in Gove (NT) and then down around the Surat Basin and Moranbah, then back to the NT for the construction of the INPEX gas plant, always taking on delegate roles on the jobs and representing members on the ETU State Council. In 2016 I took on the role of Northern Territory Organiser and I am proud of the many battles and achievements our members have fought out to improve worker wages and conditions in the NT. My motto has pretty much been; leave a workplace better than you found it, and that means getting involved. I’ve always had a passion for speaking up for others when needed, improving our workplaces and protecting our trade, and there’s no better way to do that than being part of a trade union, for us that’s the ETU. The results speak for themselves, the more of us who are on board and having a crack the better the outcomes.

2025 has been another big one in the NT, with plenty of challenges thrown at our membership across all industries. PowerWater and Territory Generation has kept us busy with all sorts of issues, changes to the electricity market announced and our Public Sector General EA is being bargained. We’ve achieved decent results in our hydrocarbons and mining sector agreements; kicked into gear on our Contracting Industry EBA campaign with employer forums being held and interest being drummed up amongst electrical workers. We’ve had a new Electrical Safety Act and Regulations being implemented and the challenges of a new government going after some of it. Looking forward, we are seeing more investment in the NT with plenty of work on the defence facility’s, the shift lift project moving forward, onshore gas and mining projects evolving and our generation and electricity networks screaming for upgrades. There’s plenty on the cards for the NT in the coming year. PowerWater and Territory Generation EAs are being negotiated in 2026, which are going to be vital in ensuring our Power Industry workers are keeping up with other jurisdictions with wages and conditions to ensure we can attract and retain workers in the NT. The INPEX EA will be a big one, and continuing our Contracting Industry EA campaign will all keep us busy. Thanks to everyone for their support in this year and I wish everyone a safe and happy Christmas. In Unity! Strawbs

Three words to describe 2025? “More to Do!”

David Hayes

TOOWOOMBA/SOUTH WEST: DAMO

I have had the privilege to be an ETU Organiser for the past 3 and a half years. I joined the ETU in 2009 when I started working in the ESI Contracting Industry. After working in Western Australia i returned to Queensland working in the gas industry at Windibri where I was asked by Ron Coleman to become a co-delegate. Not long after that I got to meet Dan McGaw our organiser from Toowoomba. Every time I changed jobs or moved sites Dan McGaw would encourage me (not so subtle, Damo you’re the f#*ken delo) to become site delegate. Also being from Toowoomba I started to get involved with our sub-branch and local ETU campaigning. Attending industry delegate conferences and Biennial Conferences opened my eyes to the mechanisms of our union and how important our union is in protecting our members and their industries. When Dan McGaw resigned in late 2021, I was asked if I might be interested in trialling for the vacant position. After trialling in early 2022, I was offered the opportunity to become a State Organiser at Easter 2022. Not in my wildest dreams did I ever think that I would get the opportunity to represent the ETU and its members as an organiser.

At Gatton Prison after 4 years of construction The Southern Qld Correctional Precinct Stage 2 has been handed over to Qld Correctional Services. I would like to thank all members who worked on the project for their hard work and commitment to complete the project. Special thanks to our delegates and HSR’s for ensuring that all members were looked after during the project. As construction at Toowoomba Hospital starts to ramp up, we are still waiting for the LNP State Government to commit to full funding of the project. Electrical packages for the project are still to be finalised. Klenner Murphy Electrical are currently performing site service works and currently have 14 ETU members employed on-site. With the project progressing we expect significant movement on site numbers in the new year. In regards to Ergon, already this storm season we have seen the important role our members play in maintaining safe and reliable power for our communities. When we are tucked up snug in bed and the shit hits the fan it’s our Ergon members out in the middle of it. Thank you to all our Ergon members for putting our communities first and continuing to be the leaders of the power industry not just in Queensland but in all of Australia. In terms of renewable projects, Bulli Creek Solar Project, this project has been approved and looks to start in the first quarter of 2026. Wandoan South Solar Project Stage 2, site works have started with some initial electrical works, with electrical works to ramp up in early 2026. Western Downs BESS Stage 3, after completion of Stage 2, UGL are hoping to continue straight into Stage 3 early in the new year. With 2025 almost coming to an end, I reflect on the battles from the previous 12 months, the wins and the missed opportunities. It is a reminder that when we stand together as a union we can achieve anything! Celebrating the wins is important but even if we don’t get the outcome we are fighting for, we remind everyone that we will not back down and we will continue to support each other and continue to fight. BE PROUD OF WHAT THE MIGHTY ETU STANDS FOR! BE PASSIONATE TO IMPROVE OUR MEMBERS LIVES! BE PREPARED TO STAND UP AND FIGHT!

Damian Hewat

BUNDABERG: DAN BESSELL I became an organiser in 2009, Dick Williams was retiring and Peter Simpson was taking over as ETU Qld & NT State Secretary. Previous to becoming an organiser I was an active delegate on construction sites and major projects. I was passionate about safety on site, standing together as a collective and sending a message when builders and bosses made poor decisions. In the first year of working as an organiser I learnt that union values do not stop at the workplace. We as the ETU Qld and NT Branch use our collective strength to drive better outcomes for our members and the society they live in. That is what I am passionate about.

My year started differently from where it ended up. My geographical area of responsibility changed back to Caboolture in the south to Bundaberg in the north and past Kingaroy to the west. I have spent the year reconnecting with workers in many different industries in my area such as food processing, sugar, manufacturing, train building and maintenance, timber and supply industries to name a few. I am proud of the outcomes I have been able to negotiate for members by organising workers and lifting wages and conditions. Being ETU for me means being able to not only drive great outcomes for our members through lifting wages and conditions but using our collective strength to drive better outcomes for all Queenslanders. Under the last Labor Government we were able to secure the Energy Workers’ Charter, that ensures all workers affected by the transition away from fossil fuels and into renewable energy were guaranteed training and support to move into other meaningful work. This was largely driven by Peter Ong and the ETU. We were able to stop the LNP from privatising our assets such as poles and wires, ports and motorways. We campaigned and delivered Voluntary Assisted Dying legislation. We introduced BPICs into the building industry and hot weather clauses into agreements. We were on the right side of history by campaigning for an Indigenous Voice to Parliament. We also campaigned in Dickson at the last federal election successfully removing Dutton, The Leader of the Opposition, from his own seat.

Being ETU MEans Values, Intelligence, Driven.

DanBessell Bessell Dan

NORTH QLD: SHARKEY

Stepping up to be an organiser in 2022 was an easy choice for me, as fighting for workers isn’t just a job, it’s a passion. Being able to make a difference in someone’s life, achieve wins for our members, and stand up for what’s right is what drives me to get up every day and give my all. I was born in Mackay, so representing the members of northern Queensland makes me both proud and determined to achieve the best possible outcomes for every ETU member in our region. Since the new state government was elected, we’ve continued to see the handbrake pulled on new construction projects across our region. After the LNP’s “60-day review” into the Townsville Hospital upgrade, the project has gone completely quiet. No timeframes, no tenders, and no clear indication of when it will restart. The new multi-level carpark at the hospital, however, is moving ahead, with the main contractor expected to be announced in the coming weeks. Reports suggest either Hutchies or Watpac will be the successful tenderer. The CopperString project has also fallen victim to this government’s agenda. Only a handful of employees remain on site, and all are expected to be de-mobbed by Christmas. The latest reports indicate plans to downgrade the line from 500KVA to 320KVA between Townsville and Hughenden as a cost-saving measure. The project’s future now rests in private hands, after the State LNP Government handed it over to the Queensland Investment Corporation (QIC Group). Stage 1 of the Kirwan Police Station is nearly complete. Stage 2, which was to include the police academy, should have been underway by now, with $100 million allocated by the previous government. Yet again, there’s been no talk, no tenders, and no commitment to see it proceed. There has, however, been some positive military investment, with major upgrades continuing at both the RAAF Base and Lavarack Barracks. Environmental works have also resumed at the Greenvale Military Training Facility, and we’re hopeful that progress on this project will soon follow. Townsville City Council negotiations have reached an impasse. While we’re close to agreement, we haven’t been able to finalise a deal. The council has now applied to the Fair Work Commission for Commissioner-Assisted Bargaining, which will commence in the first week of December.

At Glencore, a taxpayer-funded government support package has secured operations for the next three years. With that certainty, bargaining has recommenced. Our members at the Glencore Refinery have been falling behind market rates for too long. Glencore needs to invest in these workers and lift wages so the business can attract and retain the skilled labour it needs to remain profitable. As we wrap up what’s been an extremely busy year, I want to wish all our members a safe and happy Christmas. Take time to recharge, enjoy time with your loved ones, and come back ready to continue the fight in 2026. Being ETU Means standing up and fighting back for what’s right!

Liam Sharkey

CENTRAL QLD: SHAWN HIGGINS After being in another construction union for a number of years, I met Ongy on the job in what I am guessing would be the mid to late 90’s when he was a construction organiser. His passion and devotion to ETU members was obvious and I soon became an ETU Delegate. A few years, workplaces and employers later and I was nominated for, and elected on to the ETU State Council in the early 2000’s. Prior to the “WorkChoices” era, I represented the ETU on the “Light the Fuse” tour through Central Queensland and mining regions. Not long after this I was used as a “salt” by the ETU at a couple of well-known unscrupulous employers. This was followed by a 5-year stint in PNG and a 8 ½ year stint in the Philippines, both in gold mining/project management. Returning to Australia in 2018, I took up the role as ETU Delegate for members at Queens Wharf before heading back to Gladstone to take up the role as CQ Organiser.

2025 was a huge year in CQ with the industrial action outlined below. Dozens of local EA’s were negotiated, dozens of disciplinary’s and three Delegate Foundation Training courses were held in Gladstone. The ETU has now hired a dedicated trainer, and more delegate training will be rolled out across the region in 2026. Recently, we held the first ever Honorary Member functions in Gladstone and Rockhampton. These events are now planned to be held annually. As a regional organiser I cover all industries so I believe the biggest problem/opportunity we have moving forward will be how to address the shortage of electrical workers that will be required to perform the pipeline of work that needs to be completed in Queensland over the next decade.

3 WORDS TO DESCRIBE 2025 CHALLENGING, INSPIRING & REWARDING

Shawn Higgins

Whilst 2025 was a huge year, there were three major industrial battles fought in Gladstone / CQ which stand out – NRG Power Station EBA, CS Energy Callide Power Station and GPC- Gladstone Ports Corporation EBA. All three industrial campaigns achieved great outcomes for our members; however, GPC holds a special place as while we had 100% ETU membership density, the electrical workers represent less than 10% of the total workforce and GPC had not had any industrial action in over 40 years. GPC hired a HR consultant who made no attempt to hide the fact that he was coming after the electrical crews working conditions including their 8-hour day. Every other discipline had sold this condition off over the years. Given the small percentage of the total workforce and the real possibility that other workers could vote up an agreement that was not in the best interest of our members, ETU members took the bold step of initially taking on GPC by themselves to let their employer know how passionate they were about their conditions. The two primary unions sat idle and did nothing. On the first day of action ETU members held a 24-hour stoppage followed by 24 1-hour stoppages the next day. This had a crippling affect on operations of Queensland’s largest port and swung negotiations in our favour. The original negotiations team was thrown out, and a new team was implemented by GPC to try and salvage negotiations. Without going into the details of what the members achieved in the final EBA, I’ll just say it was an awesome outcome. It just goes to prove the old saying” it’s not the size of the dog in the fight but the size of the fight in the dog!” This certainly proved true in this instance with management describing ETU members to me as “the front rowers of the Port EBA.” What does it mean to be ETU? Most members would answer this question along the lines of solidarity, working conditions or safety. However, being a regional organiser for the ETU encompasses dozens of different industries, close to two hundred employers and dealing with multiple other unions spread across an area the size of the state of Victoria. In dealing with other unions in the role of an organiser one thing becomes crystal clear, there are unions and there are trade unions. Our members know their worth. Our leadership boxes smarter and we punch well above our weight both politically and industrially. Not only do I believe we are the best union in the country, I believe the ETU Qld & NT is the best branch of the best trade union in the country. I also believe we have the best members, delegates and without a doubt the best leadership in the country, bar none!

SUNSHINE COAST & APPRENTICES: JOEL COSTA

Prior to graduating high school around 2007, my school holidays consistent of being a labourer on small construction sites. This was my welcome to the industry that has provided me so much. Starting my apprenticeship in 2010 and being exposed to terrible safety conditions and under payment of wages. This frustrated me and naturally caused me to speak up. But it was the ETU and members of our mighty union that brought me along and educated me on my journey as a tradesperson.

As a tradesperson I worked interstate and internationally, opening my eyes to battles experienced outside of southeast Queensland. This encouraged me to fight even harder to preserve, protect and improve our industry. We have the responsibility to leave our industry better than what we found it. The collective strength of belonging to the ETU was empowering. This is how we fight the injustice workers are exposed to. We don’t always win. But if you don’t fight you lose! Our branch is proud to put apprentices first, as they are the future of the Electrical Trades Union. We have seen an incredible amount of activism coming out of this younger generation. With more attendance at campaign rallies, branch meetings, Youth Crews and standing up for social issues. We feel very confident with the next generation coming through, that the ETU is in good hands. Youth Crew & BTG Touch Footy Youth Crew has expanded to the Gold Coast, Toowoomba and Sunshine Coast! Youth Crew has young activists coming together empowering the future of our union. With growing numbers putting in their personal time, it shows the character of young apprentices and workers that care about their industry. They have consistently showed up for N4S campaigns, Christmas drives and raising funds for MATES. If you would like to see a Youth Crew kick off in your region, reach out to your organiser to discuss steps forward. The BTG (Building Trade Group) Touch Footy Tournament event was launched a few months ago. A massive 44 registered teams, their families and friends turned out in the pouring rain to support suicide prevention. We didn’t let the weather dampen our spirits. It was a family friendly event with jumping castles and rides for the kids, food trucks and raffle tickets to win prizes. Even a running race for all! Over $120,000.00 was raised and donated to MATES! A big shout out to the Youth Crew for getting behind this and helping with the set up and organisation of the event. We are expecting over 88 teams for the next BTG footy event in 2026 and have outgrown the venue already! The next competition is set for Saturday March 14th Bill Noris Oval – Beenleigh.

Group Training Organisations (GTO) ELECTROGROUP The ETU has delivered great conditions and leading collective rates. Apprentices at Electrogroup are now getting travel and fares to off the job training, reproductive leave, family/domestic violence leave, changes to fitness for work policy and coming in line with industry standards with WIP (Income Protection) and CBUS. A base collective rate well above the award when working for non-EBA Hosts. MRAEL MRAEL are a GTO that have emerged in QLD. They are employing electrical apprentices across our state. We are currently negotiating our DBCT (Dalrymple Bay Coal Terminal) EBA. With a showing of strength both ETU and AMWU members have locked in together to deliver better wages and conditions for the next generation of apprentices at the Mackay Coal Terminal! The ETU has been organising, educating and bringing the coal industry apprentices along. We have increased our apprentice membership in the Coal Industry by 71%. This could not be achieved without the help of passionate delegates and activists. The ETU has delivered a massive win for apprentices in the Bowen Basin. Doubling the annual income for 4th year apprentices. This was achieved by taking apprentices off a third-party employer and achieving a direct hire apprenticeship. NECA NECA upper management had a wake-up call, with multiple disputes with the ETU in the last 18 months. NECA have been caught by members, and the ETU was there to call out the injustice. Earlier in the year, Southeast Qld and Northern NSW was hit by Cyclone Alfred. Apprentices were being sent home without pay, with the hard work of the ETU and a longfought battle in the Commission, workers received the win! The decision was handed down by the Commissioner. Workers that could not attend work because it was closed, shall be paid ordinary hours. Another dispute left NECA apprentices underpaid for 18 months! The ETU wage claim total was more than $200,000.00! The ETU was there again demanding wages be reimbursed for the electrical apprentices. ETU officials were obstructed from entering NECAs college interstate. This was when officials were trying to represent workers with major concerns. Attending college is a place of work, if you require union representation or would like to be visited by an ETU official please reach out.

Joel Costa

Sunshine Coast Construction The Sunshine Coast construction division is booming, with more tower cranes and projects coming out of the ground than ever before. Maroochydore CBD is expected to have 35 towers built in the next 2 decades, inclusive of a 1400 unit –2032 Olympic accommodation village. The coast is developing at a rapid rate, with so much work booming the industry rates for electrical workers has naturally lifted, well overdue. While it is fantastic to see no shortage of work, now is the best time to unionise the workforce. Consistent union presence on these projects is how we improve the workers conditions and wages on the jobs. Whilst safety needs to be number one, educating workers on the Sunshine Coast is how we maintain union strength and solidarity. Sunshine Coast Youth Crew has launched in Maroochydore. With a huge amount of support from the union members. This is obvious, young workers not settling for any less than a fare share of what their labour produces.

In solidarity, Joel Costa.

COMMS, AEROSPACE, GENERAL TRADE, MANUFACTURING & GOVERNMENT: SCOTTY I have been an organiser for 18 years and a proud ETU member for 31 years. Growing up, politics and social justice were always part of my life. I remember being a little kid and hearing my grandad talking about “Goughy” doing things that were either good or bad and thinking he was pronouncing it wrong and that it was “Goofy.” Obviously, grandad was talking about Gough Whitlam, but I was young enough to mistake what I was hearing for the cartoons I was watching. My grandad was a staunch member of the Firefighters’ Union, and my dad is a staunch member of the ETU. This continued through my childhood. I clearly remember my dad, an electrician, being on strike when I was young and taking a job in a pub to make ends meet while he was on the grass. He was out again in support of the SEQEB strike in 1985, and I remember when I was a bit older attending anti-nuclear power rallies with my parents in Caboolture when that area was slated to have a nuclear reactor built there against the clear wishes of local residents. I remember the delegate at Otis Elevators taking me to the union office (in the TLC building at the time) on my first day to sign up, and I’ve been a member ever since.

3 WORDS TO DESCRIBE 2025? ANOTHER DAY, ANOTHER PICKET!

Scott Reichman

I became the senior delegate for Otis in 2004, largely in response to the Howard Government bringing in WorkChoices and the ABCC for the first time. I decided at that point that I could not sit on the sidelines and let others do the heavy lifting. Throughout the Your Rights At Work (YRAW) campaign and in the lead-up to the 2007 election, I was working with the ALP candidate running against Peter Dutton before work, working for Otis and taking them on with my comrades over the WorkChoices attacks on workers during the day, then back campaigning again after work. Outside that, I was at every YRAW event in SEQ. After more than 18 months of that, the opportunity came up for me to take on a role within the union, and I grabbed it and have never looked back. My passion for the union movement comes from decades of direct experience. I’ve learned that when workers act in solidarity with each other, we can take down governments, multinational corporations, standover tactics in the workplace, or even something as simple as fighting for water on site. The principle is always the same, and through this, our movement has achieved great pay rates and conditions, created the best apprenticeships in the world, set the highest electrical and safety standards, knocked off anti-worker governments, opposed apartheid, stopped pig iron going to Japan, and stood up against racism, sexism, and fascism throughout history.

The last 12 months have been especially busy for our members in the communications, aerospace, manufacturing, and general trade sections of the union. It’s also shaping up as a big year for our government members as we take on an ideologically motivated government that disputes the very legitimacy of our existence while offering the most miserly pay offers we’ve seen in the last 10 years. We started out with a blue, with strikes and rolling stoppages at Qantas over pay and conditions. This resulted in the most significant wage rises in the Brisbane heavy maintenance hangars in many years, along with huge backpays and advancement opportunities for our members. That was followed closely by strikes and pickets at XXXX in our fight for decent wage increases for members and the inclusion of fair conditions for apprentices. We won that battle after two full weeks of strike action and barely a single beer leaving Milton during that time. That campaign rolled straight into a protracted fight with multinational corporation Getinge, which saw our members effectively locked out of their workplace for four months as the company tried to starve them into accepting lower wages and conditions than their workmates in other states. In the end, we won that one too, with wage rates comparable to our Victorian comrades, site allowances, and other conditions all improved. It was a tough campaign, and we are grateful to all our members who joined us on various pickets and high-visibility activities. Our members always proudly stand up, and we thank the ETU Youth Crew, The Construction Sub-Branch, our members at the Mater Hospital site in Springfield, members at QHealth, our comrades in Victoria, and the Swedish Electrical Union (Getinge’s world headquarters are in Stockholm), all of whom gave up their time to stand in solidarity with members and put pressure on Getinge to get this over the line. While that fight was coming to a resolution, another battle kicked off with Coca-Cola at their plant in Richlands. Our members in the Coke maintenance department have been negotiating for four months for a new agreement. For the last month, they have been taking rolling industrial action, including 24-hour strikes and specific stoppages, in support of a decent outcome from the negotiations. These tactics are slowly paying off, and we will inevitably win this fight as well. We also commenced negotiations for new agreements in state government departments; QBuild, QHealth, and TMR, around May 2025. After months of pointless meetings where the departments were hiding behind a woefully poor government wage policy, our members began their industrial campaign on 1 September 2025, the day after the expiry of the old agreement. We are fighting for a 36-hour week, all overtime paid at double time, wage parity across the departments, and a handful of other conditions already enjoyed by many other ETU members and blue-collar workers across industry.

The government is ideologically welded to the idea of an 8% pay rise over three years, but even that is smoke and mirrors. For the first time ever, they are demanding that the agreements commence after our members vote for a new agreement. This means no backpay and potentially that the 8% would effectively be spread over 3.5 to 4 years or longer, depending on when we reach agreement. Currently, members have gone 15 months without a pay rise. Our members are resolved to win this fight too, with rolling stoppages and bans being applied in all departments. The disruption to the government has seen them throwing everything they can at members, including intimidation, engaging dodgy contractors to strike-break, lockouts, legal action, and now conciliation through the QIRC. We have no doubt they will force the issue into arbitration rather than agree that industry standards should apply to this cohort of government workers. No matter how long this battle goes on, our members will hold the fight until we get a decent outcome. Looking ahead, as members realise the value of the work they perform and the skills they bring to the table, our campaigns for better wages and conditions will continue. The battles will be hard fought, as most of these companies are not used to having a fight on their hands, but with the strength of will and solidarity of the union we will raise these industries up to the standards they should be across the state. I have been extremely proud of all of the campaigns this year have been led by ETU members, and I cannot be prouder of the tenacity our members have shown in the face of overwhelming odds against them. Whether it’s the might and resources of a state government or a multinational corporation that often has more power and money than a state government, they have stood their ground and reaped the benefits of being union. To me, being part of the ETU means having the resources and support to stand up against exploitation, to fight for fairness, equality, and equity, and to leave the world in a better condition for my children than the world I inherited.

FAR NORTHERN QLD: HILLY

I am Rob (Hilly) Hill, was born and bred in Cairns, North Queensland. I did my EFM apprenticeship with FNQEB which later become Ergon Energy where I worked for 23.5 years, before taking on the role of ETU Far Northern Organiser 8 years ago. My parents were hardworking battlers, with my dad working on the wharfs in Sydney in the 60’s, and a lifelong passion for collectivism and unionism. He installed in me from a young age that we should always strive to hand on better than we inherited, and to back your mates. I was a senior delegate at Ergon and was energised by being able to help my work mates and found that the job of being a delegate was the best part of my working day, so when the opportunity came up to represent workers across all industries in this patch, I jumped at it. It is beyond empowering to help workers day to day and to change collective mindsets, to show people the power of unity and what can be achieved together, to change workplace cultures one conversation at a time, and to ultimately hand on better than we all inherited. 2025 has been an incredible year. Membership in the region is up and as staunch as ever. We have four Construction EBA companies operating out of this region, providing workers in that sector with a chance of decent paying jobs. Something this region has needed for some time. The Supply Industry has delivered a very good EBA that will arrest the skills and competence drain interstate but also set up the future generations to inherit decent jobs that pay well. We are still in blues across government and Government Owned Corporations, with the change of the state government resulting in hostile bargaining. By default, though, and as we are a craft union of in-demand workers, we are finally seeing electricians being paid what they are worth. A recent example, and a sign of the nature of the skills shortage in this area, is the recent Cairns Regional Council EBA, which has delivered more than a 23.5% increase to electrician’s wages over 3 years. This shows what sticking together can achieve. The future in this area looks good, although the planned pipeline of works from the previous state government has slowed and almost stopped, it would stand to reason that the work itself has not gone anywhere and the need for these infrastructure builds remains. When they do fire up, I am confident we have the staunch members that will stand together and ensure that we don’t race each other to the bottom again to deliver safe and profitable jobs into the future. I have lots to be proud of in 2025, with members consistently standing up and showing true solidarity. There are literally too many to mention but some very memorable moments were; The community support garnered when the TMR, QHealth and QBuild members had a stoppage earlier this year. The concerned citizens that rolled up to their action was amazing and a true reflection of how society holds these men and women up as heroes. The achievements gained through the Cairns Regional Council EBA negotiations for all employees but especially trades staff. This was achieved without any actions and was paid forward from previous negotiations where the small but very staunch electrical departments led the way with historical disputes and council’s unwillingness to pull them on again. The Cape Flattery Silica Mine negotiations were also a highlight, where a small but committed bunch of staunch workers took on the multinational Mitsubishi Corporation and won.

2025 in 3 words Unity, Power, Progress

Being ETU means being part of something bigger than yourself, being part of the struggle to hand on better than you inherited, just like our forebearers dared to do. It means never walking past or accepting injustices. It means having your mates back and knowing that they have yours. It means standing shoulder to shoulder with the people that power our community, in their fight for fairness, safety and respect in every workplace.

Robert Hill

COAL INDUSTRY & MACKAY: THOMMO I started my apprenticeship in Gladstone in 1997, worked in heavy industry in and around that area for most of my apprenticeship. I also worked underground in Mt Isa for 12months, then progressed to working in the Construction Industry. I then worked in QLD, WA and also the NT during my time on the tools. I remember having a chat on a job in Ballera (QLD gas fields) working for Stork Electrical, I was asked by another electrician if I was an ETU member, I was not at the time, I was handed a membership form and signed up there and then. By that afternoon I was elected as the ETU Delegate for the job and we went onto argue for the rest of the time on the job and I am still arguing today. I moved through the ranks as a delegate, onto State Council in 2011, Branch Conference Delegate in 2013, and then into the role as an organiser in 2016. I always had a knack for arguing for terms & conditions during my working career and once I become a union member, I saw the difference a union site had compared to a non-union Site. I have always enjoyed bettering conditions and entitlements for the working class. We have seen an increase in membership in the Mackay and Whitsunday regions, across all industry sectors this year. We have had some good outcomes through EA negotiations, plenty more work to be done but we are heading in the right direction. The BHP Coal EA kicks off shortly and this will be a process to negotiate but, nothing we haven’t been through before. The Mining Industry is still going reasonably well, there will be a shift in the coming months as the coal prices decrease and we head into the Christmas period. There is some uncertainty about the Anglo operations due to the sale falling through with Peabody but we are in talks with Anglo throughout the process and any changes will be communicated with members.

being ETU means : sticking together, being honest with each other and protecting our Trade.

I’m extremely proud of the membership growth in 2025 and the way that some of the younger generations are getting on-board and fighting for change. Most people should be aware that there will be a transition between Stuart Traill and myself as I move into the ESI role in 2026. It has been such an honor to be the Mackay ETU Organiser for the past 9 years, but I am certainly looking forward to the change and fighting for those members within the power industry.

Craig Thomas

INTRODUCING DAMO MCGARRY The ETU QLD & NT is proud to welcome Damien “Damo” McGarry as our new Delegate Trainer. A lifelong trade unionist with decades of experience and a deep passion for building strong, confident delegates across our workplaces. Union values from the start Born in Narromine, in the Central West of New South Wales, Damo was introduced to unionism early in life. Growing up around the shearing sheds, he saw firsthand how collective strength and solidarity made a difference. Watching relatives lead and manage union matters gave him an early understanding of fairness, unity, and the power of standing together. “I was fortunate to see trade unionism in action as a kid,” Damo recalls. “Those lessons shaped how I see the world, that when we stick together, we can take on anything.” Although Damo had been a union member in several workplaces, his commitment deepened when he joined the Sydney waterfront just before the 1998 lockout. That historic dispute with Patrick Stevedores and the Maritime Union of Australia defined his understanding of collective power. “That dispute taught me the real meaning of solidarity, not just within our own ranks, but across the broader movement. The local and international support we received showed that unity is our greatest weapon.” The experience cemented his belief that workers’ strength lies in their ability to act together and never back down in the face of injustice. A Queenslander with ETU pride After moving to Queensland 15 years ago, Damo continued working in union roles, but one event in particular left a lasting impression, the 2015 Hutchison Ports dispute in Brisbane, when workers were sacked by text message. As a delegate during that fight, he remembers the black ETU van pulling up at the gates on the first day and staying there until the end. “The ETU’s support was incredible. Their organisers and members stood with us every single day. That solidarity kept spirits high and reminded everyone that we were part of something bigger than ourselves.” From that moment, Damo made it a point to show up for ETU campaigns and causes whenever he could. “The ETU’s principles of strength, unity, and solidarity align perfectly with my own. So when the opportunity came to join the ETU as Delegate Trainer, it felt like the right move.” A clear vision for delegate training With years of experience behind him, Damo brings a strong vision for the future of delegate development at the ETU. “Delegate training must keep pace with the ever-changing industrial environment,” he says. “Laws, safety standards, and workplace instruments evolve constantly. Our delegates need up-to-date knowledge and practical skills to represent their workmates effectively.”

Damien McGarry

He believes that knowledge and confidence go hand in hand. “The ETU understands that knowledge is power. The more our delegates learn, the stronger and more united our union becomes.” For Damo, the most effective delegates aren’t just experts on agreements, they know their workplace and their people. “The best delegates are those who understand their site, their workmates, and the culture. They earn respect by being fair, reliable, and standing up when it counts. That respect isn’t given. It’s earned through action.” These delegates, he says, are the backbone of the ETU. “They embody solidarity and lead by example, helping to build unity and strength on the ground.” Mentoring new leaders A major part of Damo’s role will be helping new delegates build confidence through training and mentorship. “We’re lucky to have strong delegate networks across the ETU. New delegates can learn directly from experienced ones while also building skills in our training programs,” he says. “No one’s expected to take on everything straight away. Like any skill, being a great delegate takes time, experience, and support.” This combination of mentorship and education ensures the ETU continues developing capable, confident representatives ready to lead in their workplaces. The organising model in action Damo is a firm believer in the ETU’s organising model, one that empowers delegates and members to take collective ownership of their workplaces. “Some unions rely on the servicing model, where officials handle most of the issues. That can fix short-term problems, but it doesn’t build long-term power,” he explains. “The ETU’s organising model is different, it gives delegates the tools to lead. A well-organised site led by a strong delegate is the one thing employers fear most.” This approach, he says, is what keeps the ETU strong and respected across industries. “It’s how we’ve secured some of the best wages and conditions in the country.” Building the future of the ETU Damo believes investing in delegates is essential to the ETU’s longterm strength. “Delegates are our leaders on the ground, the first point of contact for members, the problem-solvers, the advocates,” he says. “When delegates are knowledgeable and confident, the whole union benefits.” He’s optimistic about the next generation of leaders emerging within the ETU. “The younger delegates I’ve met already understand the importance of solidarity and collective action. They’re smart, motivated, and ready to keep lifting standards.” What being ETU means “The ETU has always stood out as a union that shows up, not just for its own members, but for every worker in struggle. Across the movement, everyone knows that when the ETU turns up, things get serious.” As he begins his new role, Damo’s focus is clear: to strengthen delegate training and ensure every workplace has the leadership it needs. “Strong delegates mean strong workplaces and strong workplaces mean a strong ETU. I’m proud to be part of that mission.”

MEET HAYDEN VANDERKRUK: NEW GOLD COAST ORGANISER STANDING UP FOR WORKERS At 30, Hayden Vanderkruk has already built a strong reputation as a proud ETU member and active voice for workers’ rights. The Logan local joined the union in his first week on the job, and a decade later, he’s now one of ETU QLD & NT’s newest organisers. Hayden began his apprenticeship in 2015 with a local training company. “I joined the union in my first week of my apprenticeship,” he says. “I’m grateful the union came to our training facility, Scotty Reichman signed me up. I always knew I needed to be a member, so I signed up right away.” Outside of work, Hayden loves music and the outdoors. “I play the drums and used to be in a band called ‘Up Against the Wall’ with Luke Ellis, Jimmy Little and Scotty Reichman,” he says. “I’m also into combat sports, camping, fishing, and dirt bikes.” His passion for unionism began long before his electrical career. “It stemmed from working in fast food when I was younger and seeing workers treated badly,” he recalls. “When I got into the electrical industry, I knew the union would look out for you and look after you, and I wanted to be a part of that.” Getting Active By his third year of his apprenticeship, Hayden was ready to take on more. “I started getting heavily involved in the union when I was working on the W Hotel in Brisbane,” he says. “It was the first time I’d been on a site with a proper safety committee, it really opened my eyes to how a worksite should run.” That experience led him to attend sub-branch and Youth Crew meetings. “Jimmy Little started the Youth Crew in 2017 and ran it until he became an organiser,” Hayden explains. “When he stepped up, I decided they needed someone to take over, so I stepped up too.” The Youth Crew gave Hayden a valuable foundation. “It helped me get comfortable speaking in front of members and gave me the confidence to run meetings myself,” he says. “It also taught me how to talk to members and understand their concerns.” Soon after, he became the Ex-Officio State Councillor for the Youth Crew, giving young members a voice at State Council. In 2022, Hayden became a delegate. “I was on a site with somewhat hostile management, and it taught me a lot,” he says. “I learnt to take the emotion out of situations and work out which fights are worth having.” Becoming an Organiser Hayden’s ambition to become an organiser started early. “Since my fourth year as an apprentice, I’ve had a great appreciation for what organisers do,” he says. “That’s when I learnt about working-class history and politics and that’s where my goal began.” In mid-2023, he did a two-week trial as an apprentice organiser with Luke Ellis and Jimmy Little, gaining valuable experience. When a position opened on 1st September, he jumped at it.

“I stepped up into the role of organiser on the Gold Coast for the construction industry,” he says. “I’ve been working closely with Steve Bravo, who’s taught me so much about what it takes to be a great organiser.” What Makes a Great Organiser For Hayden, the key is honesty and care. “Be open and honest with your membership,” he says. “Don’t make promises you can’t keep, and if you don’t have the info, find it for them. Having good delegates behind you is also key.” But more than that, it’s about conviction. “I believe being an organiser is something in your bones,” he says. “You really need to care for people, look out for them, and be the voice for workers who are too scared to use theirs.” Looking Ahead Hayden’s goal is simple: “To build on what’s come before me and keep improving the lives of working people,” he says. “At the end of the day, organisers provide the support our members need, because an organiser doesn’t make our union, the members do.” He’s grateful for those who guided him; Jimmy Little, Luke Ellis, Steve Bravo, Scotty Reichman, Tommy Campbell, and Wendel Moloney. “I’ve had so much support from these people, as well as Ongy and the leadership team. I wouldn’t be here without them.” For younger members, his message is clear: “Step up and have a crack. Getting involved in the Youth Crew is one of the first steps, you’ll learn what it means to be a delegate and an organiser, and connect with other like-minded young people.” As the union celebrates 110 years of the Qld & NT Branch, Hayden says he’s honoured to play his part. “I look forward to being the best organiser I can be, to stand up for our members and keep building a stronger future for all of us.” To be ETU means to be staunch and to stand on your morals, but also to be proud!

27 Hayden Vanderkruk

36-HOUR WEEK FOR QUEENSLAND PUBLIC SECTOR SPARKIES – A BATTLE FOR THE AGES For more than 80 years, white-collar public-sector workers in QBuild, Transport and Main Roads, and QHealth have enjoyed a 36¼-hour work week protected by their award. Meanwhile, the tradespeople working beside them, our members, the ones keeping the power on and the infrastructure running, have had no such entitlement. The fight for parity has been on the table for several bargaining rounds, but other priorities took precedence. Reversing the Newman era’s damage of job cuts, wage suppression and outsourcing, became the focus. The campaign for a fairer working week was put on hold but never forgotten. Our members aren’t asking for anything extravagant, just fairness and the same conditions already enjoyed by more than half of the state’s public-sector workforce. Now, the time is right. With an LNP State Government refusing to move on wages, it’s critical we make gains in conditions, a 36-hour week, stronger work/life balance, benefit workers and the community alike. Where things stand At the time of writing, both QBuild and QHealth negotiations are in conciliation, while protected industrial action continues across all three departments. In the 2022 bargaining round, our members built strong networks and ran a disciplined and strong industrial campaign that delivered major wins from significant wage gains, to continuing the rebuilding of QBuild from 150 to more than 800 tradies, and the first real moves toward insourcing and job security in years. It was a campaign to be proud of. This time is no different. Members have resolved to take the fight for fairness wherever it needs to go. We’ve presented clear evidence showing that fairer conditions, including a shorter working week, lifts productivity, safety and morale. We have pointed to the fact that more and more local councils either have or are moving toward a 36-hour week and better work/life balance for all workers. If councils can make it work with tight budgets, and limited resources, there’s no excuse for the state government not to follow. The only thing standing in the way is outdated ideology. The plan ahead We’ll keep up the pressure, through industrial action, stoppages, bans and rallies, and continue negotiating in good faith, with or without the QIRC. Our members are united and determined. The departments aren’t the problem; the roadblock is the government. But as history shows, when sparkies stand together, we win.

Public Holidays JANUARY 1st New Year’s Day 26th Australia Day APRIL 3rd-6th Easter Holidays 25th ANZAC Day MAY 4th May Day OCTOBER 5th Kings Birthday DECEMBER 25th Christmas Day 28th Boxing Day

Contracting RDO’s JANUARY FEBRUARY 2nd & 27th 16th MARCH APRIL 16th 7th - 10th MAY JUNE 11th 8th AUGUST JULY 10th & 11th 6th SEPTEMBER OCTOBER 21st 6th NOVEMBER 2nd - 4th DECEMBER 7th, 21st-24th & 29th-31st

School Holidays JANUARY 11st - 26th JUNE/JULY 27th-12th SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 19th-5th DECEMBER/JANUARY 12th - 27th (2027)

LNP IN GOVERNMENT: 12 MONTHS OF UNCERTAINTY AND INCOMPETENCE As we warned before the 2024 State Election, an LNP Government would mean setbacks for workers, union rights, public infrastructure, and fairness. Twelve months in, we can sadly say: we told you so. And if this first year is anything to go by, the next three will be even worse. Strap in, stay strong, and be ready to fight back, because the LNP has shown us exactly what their priorities are. Spoiler alert: it’s not workers, not fairness, and not the public good. Her’s just a snapshot of their damaging actions so far. Rolling Back Worker Protections and Delaying Projects One of the LNP’s first actions was to gut our right-of-entry provisions under work health and safety laws. Now, even in the case of serious incidents or suspected breaches, union officials must give 24 hours’ notice before entering a site. This is not about safety, it’s about silencing worker representation and letting unsafe practices go unchecked. They’ve also stalled or cancelled critical public infrastructure. The $9.8 billion health build has been thrown into uncertainty. Major energy transmission projects, including the CopperString rollout, are under review or at risk of being downgraded, raising concerns about privatisation. The excuse? “Cost reviews.” The reality? A political move to axe Best Practice Industry Conditions (BPICs) a procurement policy that ensured EBA pay and safety standards on government projects over $100 million. They claim they’ll save 30% by removing BPICs, but the numbers don’t add up. Retendering alone adds significant cost, materials are now more expensive, and without BPICs, we risk a race to the bottom, where projects go to the cheapest contractors, not the safest or most skilled. It’s a lose-lose for workers and taxpayers alike. Energy Policy Chaos: Paying More for Going Backward The LNP’s so-called Energy Roadmap is nothing short of a disaster. They scrapped Labor’s forward-looking energy transition plan, abandoned pumped hydro and wind projects, and introduced new planning laws that confuse the sector and stall investment. The result? Queensland is now tied to ageing coal and expensive gas, even as other states, and companies like Rio Tinto, push ahead on clean energy and net zero goals. In 2025, gas power was four times more expensive than wind. Yet the LNP’s roadmap delays renewables and risks leaving workers behind, with no serious transition support. Labor’s Energy and Jobs Plan, by contrast, had workers front and centre, with a strong Energy Workers’ Charter and commitment to a just, fair transition.

And while the LNP tries to deny it, privatisation is back on the table. They opposed Labor’s public ownership guarantee of a minimum 54% ownership of future generation assets and 100% ownership of Transmission, distribution and deep storage and now their own documents make it clear: future generation assets and energy infrastructure will be in private hands, not owned by Queenslanders. That means less control, fewer jobs, higher prices, and fewer protections. They can’t be trusted. The Commission of Convenience: A Political Attack on Construction Unions On 1 August, the LNP announced a new Commission of Inquiry into the CFMEU and the construction industry, headed by Stuart John Wood AM KC. On paper, it’s about union misconduct. In reality, it’s a political stunt to weaken unions, damage Labor, and clear the path for anti-worker laws in the lead-up to the 2029 election. This is a well-worn strategy by the conservatives; we’ve seen it at a federal level before: 1.Create a scandal 2.Fuel media frenzy, 3.Use it to justify new legislation. Much of what’s being investigated is already underway. The CFMEU in Queensland has been under administration for over a year. But the Commission’s wide scope means other unions, like the ETU, could be next. We’ve seen this before at the federal level. The Cole and Heydon Royal Commissions cost hundreds of millions found very little and resulted in no major convictions. But they did pave the way for anti-union laws like the ABCC and the Building Code. With Olympic infrastructure projects on the horizon, we fully expect a similar outcome here. A new Building Code, restrictions on enterprise agreements, cuts to apprenticeship programs, and a big push for insecure labour hire. None of this improves safety or productivity. It’s about power and removing the voice of workers from the table. Day One: Attacking Truth and Reconciliation If there was ever doubt about where the LNP stands on social justice, look no further than their first day in Parliament. Premier David Crisafulli rushed through legislation to repeal Queensland’s Path to Treaty Act and shut down the Truth-telling and Healing Inquiry, just five months after it began. The repeal was buried in the Brisbane Olympic and Paralympic Games Arrangements and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2024 and passed without consultation or warning. It was a slap in the face to First Nations Queenslanders and a blatant act of political bullying. The message? Truth and justice are optional and only apply to some. The LNP is more interested in rewriting history than reckoning with it. The Road Ahead After just 12 months, the LNP’s record is clear: Worker protections rolled back Infrastructure delayed or cancelled Clean energy transition sabotaged Union-busting back in fashion Truth and reconciliation discarded We won’t stand by while rights are stripped, and communities are ignored. We’ve been through this fight before—and we’re ready to do it again. Solidarity can’t be legislated away. If you don’t fight, you lose.

Strap in, comrades. The next three years will be tough, but we are tougher!

UNION’S POSITION ON NUCLEAR POWER DEBATED, EXTENDED AND ENDORSED At this year’s Biennial Conference our union showed once again we are not afraid to take on and debate contentious issues. A strong example of this transparency was evidenced by the respectful debate about the pros and cons of continuing our strong 80 year opposition to nuclear power and by extension the use of nuclear in any civilian or military capacity beyond existing low level medicinal use. The debate on the conference floor followed an informative debate which pitted two highly respected experts pronuclear advocate Dr Adi Paterson and anti-nuclear campaigner Dave Sweeney. Their debate traversed any and all topics in the nuclear space, cost, waste, job opportunities either lost or gained, water requirements, impact on land use, international trends, SMR’s and much more. In the ensuing conference debate, delegates discussed the energy transition in general and the job opportunities that were being touted by proponents of nuclear power specifically in regions currently dependent on coal. The ban on representing members employed in the nuclear industry was also discussed at length. When the debate ended and the vote was held, the delegates representing the Queensland and Northern Territory Branch of the ETU voted overwhelmingly to continue our support for the National ETU position which opposes the nuclear industry from uranium mining to power generation to weapons, everything except limited medicinal use. In an extension to this position the Biennial Conference also passed a resolution calling on the Australia Government to withdraw from the $368 billion AUKUS nuclear submarine pact, citing the same issues plaguing the nuclear energy failures, cost, timeframe, jobs lost, waste and impact on communities. The ETU’s position in opposition to the nuclear industry could not be clearer, it has been debated, extended and endorsed, again.

CFMEU ADMINISTRATION ETU takes a principled stand against ALP over-reach As outlined in previous editions of The Electrical Worker, the ETU took a principled stand against the federal ALP’s overreach when, under Minister Murray Watt, it forced the CFMEU into administration in August 2024. After a 60 Minutes program aired allegations against individuals in the CFMEU Construction Division—without charges, trials, or findings of guilt—the ALP rushed through legislation placing the entire division and its branches under administration. In response, ETU branch secretaries meeting in Tasmania voted to suspend all payments to the ALP and ACTU and redirect funds toward a High Court challenge. Shortly after, a CEPU National Council resolved to disaffiliate from the ACTU, viewing its support for the move as complicity and a betrayal of the wider union movement. On 9 December 2024, the ETU convened the first Unions for Democracy Summit in Canberra, joined by the AMWU, Plumbers, AFULE, MUA, AMIEU, and UFU representing close to 350,000 workers nationwide. The summit resolved to form a committee, draft a constitution, and coordinate advocacy for working people. The following day, the High Court heard the challenge to the legislation, with a decision pending at that time. A second summit on 28 March endorsed the new constitution, elected the committee, and adopted a log of claims to press with politicians ahead of the federal election. Two national rallies have since been held, with around 200,000 workers participating, though divisions remain between blue- and white-collar unions. In August, the High Court ruled against the challenge, finding that Federal Law can authorise intervention in union governance where “dysfunction affects operability”—a vague and dangerous precedent that raises serious questions about who determines dysfunction and on what evidence. We still contend that the legislation represents the most dangerous attack on trade unions and is a deep betrayal of working people by the ALP, aided by the ACTU. All unions should unite to see this law repealed while a Labor Government remains in office. Meanwhile, the CFMEU continues under administration, it needs to focus on rebuilding from the ground up, organising, growing membership, and defending wages and conditions, with the hope of returning control to members as soon as possible. More to come.

The Commission of Convenience A Political Stick to Beat Unions and the ALP

On 1 August 2025, the Queensland LNP Government announced a new Commission of Inquiry under the Commission of Inquiry Act 1950. Headed by Barrister Stuart John Wood AM KC and Secretary Bob Gee, it’s being sold as a crackdown on the CFMEU and the construction industry. But we’ve seen this script before. This isn’t about worker safety or productivity, it’s about weakening unions, damaging the Labor Party, and laying the groundwork for anti-worker laws ahead of the 2029 state election. Stop press November 2025 Commission of Inquiry in disarray as five key staff resign including Barrister Stuart Wood and Secretary Bob Gee. The integrity of the already politically compromised Commission is now in tatters. How Did We Get Here? This Commission didn’t appear overnight. The LNP has long pointed to: Two decades of Federal Court decisions against the CFMEU Media-fuelled stories of alleged thuggery and corruption The High Court’s 2025 ruling in Ravbar v Commonwealth supporting federal intervention Reports by Mr Watson SC (alleging violence and toxic culture) and Korda Mentha (financial mismanagement)

The Watson Report in particular, which depicted the Queensland CFMEU as violent, misogynistic, and tightly controlled, provided convenient justification. But much of this is already being addressed, CFMEU QLD has been under administration for over a year, with many of these allegations already under investigation. A Familiar Playbook We know how this works: 1. Scandal—real or manufactured 2. Media frenzy—to sway public opinion 3. Legislation—to strip union power And the Commission’s scope is broad enough to reach beyond the CFMEU. ETU members and other unions may well be drawn in. If that happens, we’ll stand ready to support those affected. This isn’t just an attack on one union. It’s part of a broader strategy to undermine the entire union movement and, by extension, the Labor Party. Come election time, the LNP will point to the Commission’s findings, regardless of legal weight, and claim they’ve “cleaned up” union corruption. It's all about the optics.

We’ve Seen This Before This isn’t new. Previous federal inquiries followed the same pattern: Cole Royal Commission (2001–2003): Two years, $60+ million spent, no convictions. It laid the groundwork for the ABCC and the anti-worker WorkChoices agenda. Heydon Royal Commission (2014–2015): Initiated by Tony Abbott, extended by Malcolm Turnbull. It cost $150 million, led to one minor convictions, and was plagued by bias. Heydon himself was later discredited for sexual harassment. But the damage was done, media smears, legislative changes, and a double dissolution election won by Turnbull. The result? The return of the ABCC and introduction of the Registered Organisations Commission (ROC) and the Building Code. Despite the extensive cost and political theatre of these Commissions the outcomes have invariably been the same, there have been no criminal convictions, very little new evidence has been unearthed and the cost to the taxpayers has been massive. However, they served longer-term partisan political goals, particularly in achieving anti-worker, anti-union industrial relations reforms and undermining trade union influence, while also smearing the Labor party in the process.

IT’S HAPPENING AGAIN!

Legislation Is the Endgame Queensland now faces the threat of its own Building Code, echoing the disastrous federal version from 2017. That code: Removed key worker protections Banned EBA provisions that protected safety or job security Weakened safety standards Promoted insecure labour hire The LNP appears poised to replicate this. With billions in infrastructure projects leading into the 2032 Olympics, the risk is high. And the warning signs are already here: union right-of-entry is being wound back, 24-hour WHS notice is back, and BPICs have been suspended. We know what’s coming: Enterprise agreements undermined Apprenticeship programs cut Union activity strangled by red tape Insecure work surging via labour hire Developers handed more control, at workers' expense This is a playbook from the Newman Government (2012) and the Turnbull-Morrison era. Now we’re staring down round three. The Real Cost These inquiries cost taxpayers hundreds of millions. They cost workers too, legal fees, disrupted organising, and eroded rights. But for the LNP, it’s a political investment. The goal? Weaken unions, discredit the Labor Party, and shift the industrial landscape in favour of big business. Yet, when was the last time a government launched a Commission into: Wage-theft businesses? Developers cutting corners on safety? Companies underpaying or exploiting workers? Their silence says it all. What We’re Doing We won’t be intimidated. We’ve survived these attacks before, and we’ll survive this one. If you’re impacted by the Commission, talk to us, we’ll ensure you’re supported. And we’ll continue doing what we’ve always done: defending members, upholding safety, fighting for fair wages and conditions. This Commission may dominate headlines, but it won’t define us. When the dust settles, and it will, we’ll still be standing. Because solidarity isn’t something you can legislate away. If you don’t fight, you lose.

2025

CONFERENCES

A Young empowered Woman Backing Herself and Her Crew At just 23 years old, Chloe White is already achieving what many take a career to achieve: standing up, speaking out, and proudly representing her workmates in the fight for fairness. Chloe is a delegate based out of Ergon’s Mackay depot, working in the Secondary Systems Test section of the Electrical Supply Industry. She has been a member since the start of her apprenticeship with EQL and is now two years out of her time, six years with the ETU and already stepping up to the plate to become a leader. Growing up in a footy-loving Queensland family, Chloe still wears her Sydney Roosters colours proudly. “My dad grew up in Sydney and has always supported them, so I’m also a loyal supporter. I’m not one of those people that switches teams! There’s always healthy banter because my other family members go for the North Queensland Cowboys.” That sense of loyalty carries through in her work too, not just in who she supports, but how she shows up and backs her comrades. While many young workers are still finding their footing, Chloe has planted hers firmly in the ground. Backed by values, conviction, and an unshakeable belief in the power of solidarity. When asked what she loves most about being an electrician she responded “If I had to pick one thing I love about the electrical industry, it would be the various opportunities you’re presented with in your day-to-day.

Your day isn’t the same, especially working for Ergon. One day I could be in a cane farmer’s backyard up a pole, at someone’s switchboard or at a remote substation, no other job gives you that kind of experience.” It’s that constant change and challenge that keeps her excited about the job. But it’s the crew around her and the chance to make a difference, that pushed her into leadership. Heart set on being a Delegate Attending her first ESI Delegates Conference this year, Chloe wasn’t sure what to expect but she knew she belonged there. “I always approach life having no expectations, however attending the first conference I did speak to a few others, just so I didn’t stick out like a sore thumb as the rookie. The conference has been extremely empowering, being a delegate is definitely what I want to do. You’re there for the right reasons, to make a difference in the environment, to change the culture. But also just seeing how supported you are, how well organised the union is, and that we really do have the power to make change.”

“Even as a member, your involvement makes such a difference and that is awesome.”

Chloe White “To me, being ETU means having integrity and being the voice to stand up for what you and others believe in, to make change, positive change”

Power and Strength in the Regions Chloe is one of many regional delegates helping ensure that voices in rural and remote areas aren’t lost in the noise and that every worker has a representative who knows their job, their conditions, and their community. “We’re so lucky to have the structure that we do at EQL, just so communication is passed through and so all entities of the business are represented. With how vast we are, it’s really important we have representation in all the different groups, our Lineys, Leccies, Cable Joiners, etc. It’s important that the issues are heard and put forward, so we can do something about it.” She says conferences and networking with other delegates give her ideas, perspective, and a boost of confidence to take back to site. “It’s a chance to hear how things are being done elsewhere, what’s common, what’s not and how to empower each other and lean on each other to achieve positive outcomes for all our members.” She’s already thinking about how to take what she’s learned at conference and turn it into action on the ground. “Just to take back all the information and an update of everything that’s going on within the union and give that insight to my crew. To let them know I did have a voice, I did put their concerns forward, and that they are being seriously looked at. Even if they don’t see it directly, there is stuff happening, work’s going on behind the scenes. Just to really feed that back to the crews and show them that they are making a difference by having the courage to speak up.” As part of the new wave of ETU delegates, Chloe represents what the future of the union looks like: driven, informed, and fearless in the face of change. Empowered and Ready to Lead For Chloe, being a delegate isn’t just about knowing the agreements or being the person to call when something goes wrong, it’s about communication, education, and culture. “My main goal as a delegate is to maintain positive communication and education, so I can feed the most up-to-date information back to my crew. But also empower them with the knowledge of what we’ve achieved and fought for in previous years. I want to empower us going forward, to stand up, fight, and be active members. I guess the biggest goal is to try to achieve 100% unionisation in our industry.”

Standing Up, Speaking Out: Ethan Steps Into the Role of Delegate At 29 years old and based in Townsville, Ethan Morton is a proud family man who enjoys nothing more than spending time with his daughter at home (preferably with a cold beer in hand) and pushing his limits in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu competitions. He might be new to the role of delegate, but he’s already proving that strong union values don’t require decades of experience, just the willingness and confidence to stand up and speak out. Ethan works for Genus Contracting, contracted to Ergon, and has been a member of the ETU for about two years. While still relatively fresh to the union, it’s clear he’s the kind of member who’s not afraid to step up when needed. “Lenny was our delegate and the member that took over for him had too much on his plate, as he just started live lines, so I kicked it to the crew and they wanted me to do it.” It’s that kind of team driven decision making and democratic spirit that strengthens the ETU from the ground up. When Ethan saw that some of his workmates were holding back and needed someone to represent them, he knew it was time to put his hand up. “I noticed a lot of workers were a bit shy, and I've got no problem in getting a message across and a lot of the crew haven’t known me for that long, but that's what they've gotten from me. A lot of the time they’ll come to me and say, can you say this and I’ll say no worries.” First ever conference Earlier this year, Ethan attended his first ETU conference, it was a defining moment for many new delegates. Like many first-timers, he wasn’t quite sure what to expect going in. “I had no idea what it was going to be like, but what I've come away with is the ETU is a bit of a family and there has been a lot of information to take back to the workplace, it is that sort of information that can sometimes be skipped across a lot in pre-start meetings and that sort of stuff.”

That sense of family, solidarity and support is what the ETU has always stood for, and it’s clear that Ethan not only feels this, but he is ready to take it back to site with him. We asked what he enjoyed most about his first conference he responded, “Definitely getting to know everyone was pretty good but also hearing the broader aspect of everything that you don't really get to hear unless you’re reading the news and what not, but you get it straight from the horse's mouth here. Which is nice, because then you can put it into your own words and take it back to your workplace.” The 1% wins matter Union work isn’t always about the big fights. Sometimes it’s the small improvements across the industry that make all the difference and Ethan’s already tuned in to that. “It's just more reiterated. It's always the 1% of things, you know, for instance skin checks. It's a 1% thing, it takes bugger all to set up, they've got a wicked system to pay for it, so go and do it! Always builds on just those 1% things and that's just reiterated and that's what I am going to take back.” Those small everyday wins might seem small, but they’re the building blocks of a safer, fairer, and stronger workplace. That’s what the ETU is all about. Goals for the future Ethan’s still new in the delegate role, but he’s already got his sights set on gaining knowledge and experience, as well as doing right by his crew. “I’m fairly new in the role so I'm not too sure what my biggest goal is, but for now, I'd like to be able to get to the understanding of some of the senior members. That is my first call.” At the ETU, we know leadership doesn’t always come from the loudest voice or the amount of experience you have. It comes from the worker who listens, speaks up when others don’t want to and puts their crew first, exactly the kind of delegate Ethan is shaping up to be. We are proud to have him on board and a part of our future driving positive change in our industry for many years to come.

When asked what it means to be ETU, Ethan didn’t need many words to sum it up: “Being a family that's what it comes down to”

Ethan Morton

A reminder from Danger Sun Overhead this summer With another scorcher of a Queensland summer season predicted, we are anticipating higher than average temperatures and UVR levels over the coming months. Unsafe UV levels are defined as a UV index over 3 and ranging up to 8 to 10 (very high) or 11+ (extreme), which significantly increases the risk of skin damage and cancer. During these times, it is crucial to take protective measures, such as seeking shade, wearing protective clothing, applying high SPF sunscreen (50 plus) frequently, wearing a hat and sunglasses, staying hydrated and booking in for regular skin checks. The risks of heat stress and heat related injuries are also a greater threat in summer for ETU members. DSO recently delivered our Sun Safety and Heat Stress Program across the Western Downs region which have seen records broken in some towns for the highest temperatures reached in many decades. This means that ETU members need to be extra vigilant in taking proactive steps to look out for yourself and your work mates by implementing the DSO “S” Factors every day.

At DSO we continue to work closely with the ETU, working directly with ETU Delegates and members across multiple workplaces/ industries and attending various recent Delegates Conference to ensure that ETU members receive the support you need to keep sun safe. Melanoma and skin cancer statistics continue to worsen with more workers unfortunately receiving skin cancer diagnoses across Queensland. While we know skin cancer does not discriminate, it can impact on anyone, we do know that outdoor workers are at the greatest risk. However, we also know that skin cancer is a highly preventable disease if you take proactive steps to keep your skin safe from the damaging effects of over exposure to UVR. Don’t forget to follow implement these steps everyday while at work and after work while enjoying your wellearned break whether that’s at a family BBQ, playing sports or at the beach!

If your workplace has not had the DSO program delivered on site contact the ETU office today or contact us directly on admin@dangersunoverhead.org.au

ETU QLD & NT

ION UN

ELECT R

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The Powerful Women Lighting Up Our Industry

Join the ETU QLD & NT Women’s Network! Shellie Mbiza - Brisbane “It's a chance for us to be heard, a chance for us to shape the industry and certainly drive forward things that affect everyone.”

Jess McNamara - Gympie “We have a zoom meeting every two months. They're pretty informal, they're not as intimidating as you'd think it would be!”

Marina Hernandez - Darwin “It’s a voice for women in the industry and it’s really good networking, I've met some amazing people from all different backgrounds.”

Lillian Emson - Brisbane “Your issues do get raised and recognised and it’s good to know that it’s something that the union values.“

Sarah Croom - Peak Downs “We need more female members to be involved and to be attending meetings so that we can make a movement!”

Mel Street - Dalby “The broader the amount of the people we have at the table, the better solutions we can come up with!”

Jasmine Shaw - Darwin “You're all in a situation where you all work together and your issues are a lot alike!”

Chloe White - Mackay “We need female members to get involved in the network, as there are not many of us in the industry, the few that are we really need to participate and get involved to make change.“

Women’s Conference 2025

Apprentices Apprentices

The The Future Future ofof our our industry industry Joel Costa We had four apprentices represent our branch at the ETU National Conference 2025 in Sydney. With many fantastic discussions had and outcomes achieved. All the apprentices in attendance set a fantastic example and participated in robust discussions to represent the Qld & NT branch. At National Conference, the Apprentice of the Year (AOTY) Award was announced! A solid effort to all apprentices from around Australia that entered the AOTY. Only four apprentices were shortlisted to the interview stage. Out of the four shortlisted around the country, our branch had two. It’s a proud moment for our branch, when Liam Reichman was awarded AOTY! 2025 ETU Qld/NT Biennial Conference had an apprentice agenda item endorsed by the conference. The conference endorsed the ETU National Office to drive a campaign for lifting apprentices award wages and one major condition; “Apprentices on a junior wage will roll into mature age wages when they reach the age of 21.” Electrical apprentice completion rates nationally are as low as 59-62%. When on quality ETU agreements these rates are much higher, sitting at 96% completion. The major changes to the award will ensure that we have more electrical apprentices completing their apprenticeships, contributing positively to the 44,000 electrical worker shortage by 2030.

2025 ETU Apprentice Conference complete and apprentices not afraid to tackle the challenging industry issues. This conference agreed unanimously we would mobilise and prepare to assist in driving the campaign to vary the electrical award. Apprentices also coming up with resolutions that not only affect apprentices but also the retiring members of our trade. True solidarity by young workers!

Edward Tassell

25 2nd year Darwin “I came down here with an open mind, we are pretty secluded up in Darwin so this conference is a great way to learn from other Apprentices and members on how everything works in thier companies compared to back home.”

2025 Apprentice 2025 Apprentice Maxwell Conference Conference Caruss

“I didn’t know what to expect coming in, but now we are half way through, i’m learning a lot and starting to really feel like a part of the ETU. We have also heard from some great guest speakers.”

Dylan Collis

32 3rd year Darwin

Maxwell Caruss

32 4th year Brisbane “Being my first conference i didn’t know what to expect, I was suprised at how informative and diplomatic it was. Any issues that are raised are put to the floor and voted on, it has been a great experience.”

“Apprentices are vital for our future, we are the future of our trade and industry, so it is omportant we are well equipped with all the training and help we need to become the best electricians we can be.”

Shawn Green

21 4th year Brisbane

It’s never It’s never too too late late toto Join Join the the Union! Union!

Brett Girgenti is the perfect example of why it is important to join the union and how much it can change your life. A fourth year apprentice working in Townsville his experience in the electrical industry was drastically changed for the better in 2023 when he became a member of the ETU and landed a job at Queensland Rail. When asked what life was like before the union, working for a solar company, he says, “The non-EBA companies out there don’t even let you know that unions exist and try to steer you clear of them. They work you like a slave and most of the time you are treated as a bit of a dog.” Since joining the union he says, “It’s been a massive eye opener, the benefits and how you are treated is a million times better, the help and support you get from not just the union, but the tradies you work with, is just amazing.” If he knew what he knew now about the union he says he would have joined the ETU as soon as he started his apprenticeship, having the union from the start for him would have meant having someone to go to for support any time he had any doubts on anything and he would of felt like someone had his back.

To any non-union apprentices out there his advice is, “Go online to the ETU website and join up, just because you are’t on an EBA site doesn’t mean you can’t join the union and see the benefits and support that comes with being a member.” He also says “It doesn’t matter if your the only member on your site, they will come and back you no matter what.”

Brett Girgenti

26 4th year Townsville Liam Reichman attends the 2025 Global Power Trades Union Congress in Auckland New Zealand! This was one of his prizes for winning ETU AOTY in 2024. 52 delegates from 11 countries came together to discuss the issues facing electrical workers around the world. The ETU delegation led by State Secretary Peter Ong, President Jason Young, Toowoomba Organiser Damian Hewat and Executive Member Greg Bloom!

Maya James kicking goals representing the Queensland & Northern Territory Branch down in Canberra at Parliament House where ETU apprentices from all corners of Australia met to address industry issues!

110 Years 110 Years of of Activism Activism and and Strength Strength

From Sparks to Strength In early 1915, a small but determined group of Queensland electrical workers took their future into their own hands. They reached out to the NSW Branch of the Electrical Trades Union (ETU) for help in forming their own representation a union built by and for electrical workers.At the time, Queensland’s growing electricity industry was represented by various unions, the FEDFA, the ASE, and the Metalworkers, but none truly met the unique needs of this highly skilled trade. The workers knew they needed something different, something stronger. The NSW ETU responded. On June 28, 1915, organiser Sydney Bryan, himself an electrical mechanic and ETU member since 1903, addressed a meeting at Brisbane’s Trades Hall. That day, the Queensland Branch of the ETU was born. It marked the moment Queensland workers officially joined the ETU federation and began a proud tradition of standing together. From that single meeting in 1915 grew a movement that has lit up our industry, our communities, and our collective future. 110 years of Powerful Progress Fast forward 110 years, and the ETU Qld & NT has never been stronger. From a handful of members in 1915 to more than 17,000 today, our union is now a powerful, organised force stretching from Cairns to the Gold Coast, inland to Toowoomba, and all the way to Darwin. Our ranks are richer and more diverse than ever before, record numbers of delegates, women members, and apprentices proudly wear the ETU badge. We’ve faced challenges, celebrated wins, and learned from every battle along the way. The strength of our membership, our unity, and our values continues to define us. “Proud of our past. Confident in our future. Happy 110 years, ETU QLD & NT, stronger than ever!” 36th Biennial Conference – 2025 Celebrating Unity, Growth and Solidarity The 2025 Biennial Conference showcased everything that makes our union great — passion, purpose, and people. This year’s gathering once again brought together comrades from across Australia and the world, to celebrate achievements, share strategies, and shape the future.

The ETU proudly welcomed international guests and long-time allies from the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) and the Maritime Union of New Zealand (MUNZ): Eddie Trevizo, Business Manager, IBEW Local 960 Joshua DeSpain, Business Manager & Financial Secretary, IBEW Local 570 Carl Findlay, National Secretary, MUNZ Josh Greer, National President, MUNZ Russell Mayn, Business Agent, MUNZ Local 13 National Secretary Michael Wright and representatives from WA, SA, NSW, Tasmania, and Victoria also joined us. Their reports painted a clear picture of a union in motion, growing, achieving, and winning across all fronts. Tasmania delivered major construction victories. South Australia strengthened health and safety outcomes. New South Wales surged forward after years of rebuilding. Victoria locked in strong agreements. Western Australia expanded into new regions. Together, the ETU continues to protect our industries, our licences, and the livelihoods of all electrical workers.

Walking the Walk: Global Solidarity in Action Our IBEW and MUNZ comrades spoke powerfully about the importance of international solidarity. They were inspired by our site visits and deeply moved by the spirit of mateship that defines the ETU. The MUNZ representatives reflected on the 2012 Ports of Auckland dispute, remembering how the ETU didn’t just send words of support, we sent people. We stood with them on the ground, shoulder to shoulder, proving once again that ETU solidarity means action. “That’s what real unionism looks like, walking the walk, not just talking the talk.” Conference Highlights Welcome to Country A heartfelt and culturally significant ceremony by Tribal Experience opened the conference with pride and respect. Debate on Nuclear Power Dr Adi Paterson (pro) and activist Dave Sweeney (anti) delivered an engaging 90-minute discussion that sparked thoughtful reflection across the room. Branch & National Reports Every report told the same story, a strong, growing, and active union making real gains for members. ALP Affiliation Debate Thirty-two members spoke passionately and respectfully on this key issue, demonstrating the true democracy at the heart of our union. Outstanding Member Awards Jamie Walmsley Joe Fiteni Michael Coxon Recognition Award: Gordon Abbott Snr – honoured at the conference dinner for a lifetime of dedication and service. Key Resolutions Draft a Project Agreement for NT Oil and Gas. Develop/revamp apprentice recruitment and retention strategies Remain affiliated with the ALP, but independent of factional alignment — campaign support to be case-by-case Reaffirm opposition to nuclear energy Oppose the AUKUS nuclear submarine deal and call for withdrawal from the $368 billion project Establish an ETU Charity Support Fund Conduct membership surveys for stronger engagement Employ a new internal trainer (completed) Hold a stand-alone Sugar Industry Conference (implemented) Introduce two new biennial awards: The Tommy Allen Award – Outstanding Apprentice Mentor The Bruce Humphreys Award – Outstanding Community Initiative. Closing Reflections The 2025 conference concluded on the same note it began, with pride, solidarity, and deep commitment. Delegates and guests alike reaffirmed what makes the ETU unique: our shared values, our unwavering unity, and our commitment to looking after each other. “After 110 years, one thing is certain, when electrical workers stand together, there’s no limit to what we can achieve.” Here’s to the next 110 years of strength, activism, and solidarity. The Mighty ETU – Strong, United, and Here to Stay.

HONOUR BOARD HONOUR BOARD Electrical Trades Union Queensland & Northern Territory

STATE SECRETARY

STATE PRESIDENT

PETER ONG

JASON YOUNG

ASSISTANT SECRETARY

CHRIS LYNCH

STUART TRAILL

PRESIDENT 1915 – 1923 1923 – 1940 1940 – 1941 1942 – 1945 1946 – 1954 1954 – 1957 1957 – 1960 1960 – 1964 1964 – 1967 1967 – 1987 1987 – 2011 2011 – 2019 2019 – 2022 2022 –

F. Gibbons S. Wood A.H Dawson C.C Andersen C.A Milne M. Brosnan R.J Green L. Tebbutt G. Finn G. Colthorpe G. Abbott C. McGaw K. McKenzie P.J Young

SECRETARY 1918 - 1944 1944 - 1964 1964 - 1987 1987- 2001 2001 - 2009 2009 - 2018 2018 -

Sydney Bryan Archie Dawson Neal Kane Bob Henricks Dick Williams Peter Simpson Peter Ong

ASSISTANT SECRETARY

1967 - 1976 1975 - 1977 1976 - 1979 1979 - 1983 OUTSTANDING 1983 - 1987 MEMBERS 1983 - 1987 1983 - 2003 2013 Jim Thornton 1991 - 2001 2013 Clive Cooke 2001 - 2003 2013 Stephen List 2003 - 2009 2015 David Land 2015 Raymond Lawrance 2009 - 2011 2011 - 2019 2017 Daryl Keding 2011 - 2018 2017 Gregory Smith 2019 2021 John Taylor 2019 2023 Greg Bloom 2023 Cam Humphreys 2023 Clarke Stein 2025 Joe Fiteni 2025 Michael Coxon 2025 Jamie Walmsley

Nev Warburton Colin Emery Ken Vaughan Ray Dempsey Bob Henricks Wayne Randall Wayne Threlfall Dick Williams Jack Camp Peter Simpson Allen Hicks Keith McKenzie Peter Ong Chris Lynch Stuart Traill

LIFE MEMBERS 1966 1969 1969 1969 1973 1975 1977 1980 1980 1981 1981 1981 1982 1987 1987 1987 1990 1996 1996 1998 1999 2001 2002 2003 2010 2015 2015 2019 2019

J. Latham F. Hampson Ken McLean George Finn John McMahon Andy S. Laurenson James Hope Harvey Dennis F. Cowie Dudley Laing Vincent Wayman Harold Atkinson Neville Finlay John Houston Colin Emery Neal Kane Neville Warburton Ken Vaughan Tom Burns Brian Mellifont Robert Henness Warren Hughes Wayne Randall William Gaut Gordon Abbott Gary Bloxsom Jeff Christofell Stephen List Christopher McGaw

On the 10th of November Gordon Abbott atttended his last function as Chairperson of the Honorary Members Group at the Brisbane office, as he steps down from the role at years end, after 14 years. Previously, 24 years as the ETU Qld & NT President and a member since 1963, it is safe to say Gordon has been one of our most loyal and dedicated members to date. Alongside him is eldest son Gordon Abbott Jr who says he is keen to retire and hopes to one day be nominated to become an Honorary Member and seeks to follow in his fathers footsteps. The love and dedication they both have for the ETU is unprecedented, Gordon Senior telling us, “Both my sons Gordon and Lloyd grew up ETU, I remember they would always get in trouble at school because they would bring ETU stickers with them and always wear ETU shirts too!” Gordon’s Last Message “I would like to thank all the staff and ETU members who “Here’s to the helped me and always offered support when i ETU! needed it during my various THE roles in the ETU Qld & NT Branch. I wish them all ELECTRICAL strength and the best for their future. I’d also like to TRADES UNION!” propose a toast...

The ETU Thanks you for your service and dedication TO OUR GREAT UNION Gordon!

Sunshine Coast Honorary Members Function On Thursday 11th September Sunshine Coast Electrical Trades Union Honorary Members attended a function for them at The Drift Bar Caloundra. Fifteen members attended, along with ETU Organisers Dan Bessell, Joel Costa and Honorary Members Group state committee members Shane Mills and Gordon Abbott. Gordon introduced Shane Mills, who shall take over the position of Chairperson of the Honorary Members Group from the 1st January 2026. Committee member, Barry Ahlstrand was also present. Gordon tendered apologies for other committee members, Peter Mathewson, Clive Cooke and Trevor Moy who were unable to attend. Both organisers addressed the function, bringing the members up to date on union matters. Dan spoke on local matters and made the Honorary Members aware of local ETU meetings that they are welcome to attend. Joel also made available topical information brochures and ETU stickers. The members listened with interest as Joel reported on the Youth Crew and the impact it was having. The camaraderie amongst the members ensured an enjoyable function. Members swapping past work experiences and having participated in ETU membership for many years, indeed decades, gave them plenty to talk about. Gordon thanked our ETU staff for the background work that is necessary for a function like this to happen. He also thanked The Drift Bar management and staff for providing an intimate function space and great service, along with enjoyable food and cold beer.

MAYDAY MAY

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Behind the gloves ETU member & Boxer Yungubaddijarri Yanner

ETU member & Boxer Yungubaddijarri Yanner

In every union fight, there’s more than just a job at stake, it’s about dignity, pride and standing tall against injustice. In the boxing ring, it’s no different. That’s where we find one of our own, a proud ETU member whose fists may fight in the ring, but whose heart beats for his people.

His name says it all: Yungubaddijarri Balyarinyi Mambalia Mungabayi Yanner. A name that echoes with identity, history, and connection. It’s more than just letters, it tells a story of Country, of culture, and of community. “Yungubaddijarri is the movement of the barramundi, the sound that it makes when it moves and attacks. Balyarinyi is my skin group that I belong to. Mambalia is a nation of those skin groups I belong to and Mungabayi is the traditional name for Burketown where I'm from. So when I say my name, that tells you who I am, where I'm from and where I sit down when I meet certain mob back home.” From the Jobsite to the Boxing Ring Yanner first became a sparky in 2016. A proud tradesman, his journey led him from the bush to Brisbane, swapping wide open spaces for city streets. But like so many of us, he brought his strength and pride with him. Joining the ETU in 2018, Yanner found something that reminded him of home, a union that felt like family. “Being away from family is a bit hard living in a big city, and I've grown up being amongst 200 people, you know, and being in the bush. Whereas when I came to Brisbane, didn't really have much family, then I met the ETU and met more family, so the ETU is like a family to me.” While he’s since stepped away from the tools to pursue boxing full time in true rocky fashion, living in the boxing gym alongside the train track and solely focusing on his dreams, Yanner remains a financial member of the ETU, because solidarity doesn’t end when the shift does! Fighting With Purpose Boxing, for Yanner, isn’t just about throwing punches. It’s about making an impact. “I was at a gym in Mount Isa and my old man said, son you’ll have to sacrifice a bit of muscle for a bit of cardio, you never know when you're gonna need it, and it sort of blew the wind up me. I went down to the boxing gym, had a spar and I liked the physical combat between me and another man. I was always small and just a skinny bloke, I wanted to put on a bit of muscle to impress other people. So I found out that in boxing i'm doing something that impresses me, no one else. The reason why I box is to do things for my mob. The highest human act is to inspire and without a resume, not many people will listen to you.”

Through boxing, he found his power. Not just physical power, but a purpose that fuels every round. "The reason why I'm so strong and staunch, and never not equipped in my boxing, is because I do it for my people." It’s that same purpose that drives the union movement. As he says himself: "There are many similarities between the union fight and the boxing fight, it’s about not letting anyone stand over and bully you. That’s what we do in the union. That’s what I do in the ring."

Carrying Culture into Every Fight As an Indigenous man, Yanner doesn’t leave his culture at the door. He brings it into every fight, every conversation, every moment. "Boxing opens doors. People want to talk to you, and within a few minutes of boxing talk, I’m talking about my culture. Planting seeds, educating, sharing our stories. Boxing is my way of opening that door." This is the kind of leadership we are proud to stand behind. Quiet strength. Powerful presence. A fighter not just for himself, but for something bigger. "Everything starts with a conversation and when you have a yarn with a blackfella, you get to really learn. In a world where a lot of people just listen to what they hear and see on TV, click bait stuff on Youtube and Channel 7, I use boxing as a networking tool to educate and teach people about my culture." Bloodline of Strength: The Legacy Continues Courage runs in the Yanner blood. His uncle, Marandoo Yanner, is a name written into legal history after the landmark Yanner v Eaton (1999) High Court case nicknamed “The Crocodile Case.” This was an historic case that protected the rights of Aboriginal people to hunt on their traditional lands without needing a permit. That legacy of resistance and justice lives on in Yungubaddijarri’s fight today, only now the arena is a ring. ETU Pride, Boxing Spirit To Yanner being ETU means to be proud and we are proud of him too. His recent third-round TKO win wasn’t just a victory on the scorecard it was a symbol of resilience. "My opponent landed a heavy right. My jaw went numb. But I stayed composed. I knew it was coming again. I'm like, go throw it, throw it and I caught it in front of him and hit him back with a shot.” “Patterns, I’m learning the patterns” he says. “I’m starting to master the game. It was a great fight while it lasted!" His proudest moment? Not any of his fights funny enough, but a spar with a world-class opponent who rocked him hard but couldn’t finish him. "With a minute left in the round he rocked me with a massive shot, my legs buckled. He jumped on me. But I stayed composed. I didn’t take a knee. I didn’t dog it. I stayed composed and boxed out the rest of the round." He says. Isn’t that just the spirit of the ETU, never backing down even when you are up against it.

A Message for the Mob & the Movement To young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander kids dreaming big, Yanner’s words are inspiring: “To all my indigenous brothers and sisters out there, all the trial and tribulations i've been through and I'm still able to pursue my dreams as a boxer, you know, no matter all your trials and tribulations, we all go through stuff. If you have a dream, go for it, don't let anyone stand in your way. Nothing's stopped me, nothing's detoured my path to what I want to be. Just be proud and be what you want to be and understand why you're doing it. That's something that's made it a lot easier for me, is to know why I'm doing it. I'm not doing it for a personal reason. I'm not doing it just for my uncle, my auntie. I'm doing it for my whole mob, you know, so I’m fighting for something that's bigger than myself. And if that doesn't motivate you, then nothing can.” To his ETU family, celebrating 110 years of the Queensland and Northern Territory Branch he says: "Stay strong. Stay staunch. Continue the fight for workers’ rights and I’ll continue the fight in the ring."

Aaron “Frosty” Self: A Life of Grit, Laughter and Standing Up He isn’t afraid to call a spade a bulldozer, but he does it with a grin that could charm a cactus, his favourite saying is “everyone is entitled to my opinion.” But below the cheeky, disarming persona is a committed unionist with a values driven fire to stand up for the underdog and make life better. Frosty has lived a life shaped by hard knocks, deep beliefs, and the simple joy of sticking together. Born in 1972 in Bury St Edmunds and raised in the seaside town of Lowestoft, England, Frosty came of age in the thick of Thatcher’s Britain. His mum Maureen worked a string of jobs to help keep things afloat, fruit shops, pharmacies, doctor’s offices. His dad Stuart was a shop steward at the shipyards and proudly union. “Mum didn't like a quiet house. We were always encouraged to talk, I always said she gave me my mouth, and my dad gave me my values.” Under Thatcher life was no picnic. Every other week, it seemed, someone was under attack from the government and were on strike, the bin men, teachers, firey’s. Frosty remembers the disruption like it was yesterday. “I can remember “Thatcher the Milk Snatcher”, one of the first things she did was stop free milk for kids at school, for many working class kids’ milk was a big deal, one of the few healthy foods they had.” “I don’t remember one particular dispute, it just seemed to be happening all the time, we would turn up to school and the school was closed.” Still, his family kept things light where they could. One of his favourite childhood memories was walking to the docks with his mum and little sister Jo on a Thursday and seeing his dad with his mates outside the gates handing out money to everyone. “I thought my dad was rich! Turns out as I found out many years later, dad was handing out strike pay.” After the Thatcher Government decimated mining communities and steel works it wasn’t long before the docks shut down as well. “In the 80’s at the height of Thatcher’s attacks on industries and workers, dad was unemployed for a few years, but to his credit he completed an adult apprenticeship and worked for 15 years at British Telecom until he retired.”

Despite some deep family divides, his grandad Reginald was a Tory Lord Mayor, they made it fun. Every Christmas, his grandad would send out a stiff, official card of himself in mayoral robes with his wife dutifully standing beside him. So, the Self’s a proud Labour family would head to Madame Tussauds, pose with a wax Labour leader, and send that back instead. “I remember when we sent a card with John Smith who was widely expected to win the next election due in 1997, it caused a real stir with Reginald, unfortunately Smith died in 1994.” “We stopped doing it when Blair got in, Dad never liked Blair.”

Getting Started the Hard Way Frosty left school at 15 and spent a year on a farm before taking his dad’s advice, starting his electrical apprenticeship on his 16th birthday. “I’ve never worked on my birthday since!” The early days weren’t easy. He copped relentless bullying from a bloke built like a brickshithouse called Carl Baker who made Frosty’s life a living nightmare, beaten and physically sick every day until a carpenter named John gave him some tough but life-changing advice. “He told me to stand up and fight back. After a bullying episode John gave me his hammer and said throw it at him and tell him not to turn his back on you or you will kill him. So, I did, it missed, Baker came over, leant over, went to hit me, stopped and walked away. I got more confident, the bullying stopped. But Baker was a bully, so he started on a new apprentice, I told him “you ever touch another apprentice, and I’ll kill you”, and I almost did, by complete accident!” “For a week or so I put two chocolate laxatives in his coffee, to the point he was forever in the toilet, then one day he didn’t turn up work, then a few days passed, and we asked about Carl, he was in hospital, poisoned, apparently, he was allergic to laxatives and his body reacted to them. When he got back to work, he was skinny as, I told him what I’d done and finished with “I told you one day I’d kill you.” It wasn’t all drama. He also met John Chapman, a sparky who showed him what good work and good people looked like. “John taught me to take pride in your work and respect your time. I’ll always remember him.” Up in the Air and Around the World Frosty’s work took him far and wide, flying in choppers to oil rigs in the North Sea, doing stints in the Middle East, and travelling through the outback. He built a life around adventure, mateship, and the kind of jobs that test your mettle. “The best job I ever had was in the North Sea. Equal time rosters, big money, and those views, sunrises, sunsets, dolphins, storms rolling in. I learned to fly planes. I even drove Formula One BMWs, badly, but I did it!” After nearly a decade working on the rigs, Frosty had done it all, but back home in the UK, union life wasn’t what it once was. Frosty talks freely about the demise of unions in the UK and how it impacted on workers. “I didn't see much of the unions at work except sometimes on a big job in the city. With the lack of unions, jobs paid whatever you bargained and got from the boss.”

Like many comrades in the UK living and working in an essentially de-unionised environment, when the opportunity to work on a union job came about Frosty was happy to be involved, but his last experience in the UK left a sour taste and was a bitter disappointment. Disappointment and disillusionment On a huge hospital build—Norfolk and Norwich—Frosty found himself in the middle of a union blue over LAHA and travel pay. He remembers having reservations about the level of support and understanding of the issues for the strike, but being a collectivist, he stood with the majority, and the strike was on. The picket started strong but ended in disappointment. “We were out for maybe three weeks. Other workers were abusing us; locals were frustrated with the traffic. Then letters came in the mail. We were made redundant.” Some were offered their jobs back with worse conditions if the union stopped the picket. Frosty wasn’t one of them. “The union stopped the picket and didn’t help us. That silence hit harder than the redundancy. I didn’t stop believing in collectivism, but I stopped believing someone would have your back just because they said they would.” Still, a moment of kindness stood out: a local school bus would pass the picket every morning. “The kids made signs at school. It became the highlight of our day, standing in the cold and wet since 3am, and then these little legends would drive past waving signs of support and the bus driver would honk his horn it was a massive highlight.” The lack of union support left a bad taste in Frosty’s mouth that lingered a few years, he picked up a few short contract jobs, took a few more stints on the rigs before setting off on a journey that would change his life. A New Chapter in Australia In 2000, Frosty met and married Jayne. By 2001, they were backpacking across Australia and fell in love with the place. “We spent 4-5 months backpacking around Australia and loved it. When we got back to the UK, we just knew we wanted more.” Frosty applied for a skilled migration visa as an electrician, and before long, they’d landed in Brisbane. The early years were rough, low-paid work, no contacts, just getting by. A big-paying job in Oman helped them get ahead but it came at a cost. “The money was insane, but the treatment of workers, locals and migrants, was terrible, I lasted less than a year.” After around 18 months of tough graft and nonunion jobs things started to look up. They bought a home in Capalaba with a pool, across the road from a koala reserve and with the birth of their daughter Olivia (Liv). They were finally living the dream. “Having a house with pool was something you would never dream of in the UK, it was great for our little family and to cap it off a few times a year we’d see koalas. Life was amazing.” Peter Ong Lights the Union Fire Frosty’s first unionised job in Brisbane was the Roma Street Parklands Apartments. The money was good, the job was nice, and workers were looked after. “I was still hesitant about joining the union, until a whole of site meeting was called to address a safety issue.” “We all gathered in the basement, pissed off. Then this organiser showed up, he listened, then ripped management to shreds. The workforce stood united. I hadn’t seen this for years, the workforce as one calling out management, standing together and showing the bosses who really had the power on site, I was activated.”

“Everyone walked off for 48 hours. Before I left, I went over and introduced myself to the organiser...Peter Ong. I joined the ETU on the spot. That was April 2005. I’ve never looked back.” Before long, Frosty was stepping up as delegate. “After seeing the power of workers standing together, and with my values and mouth it didn’t take long before I was filling in for the delo on a few jobs before stepping up myself.” On what makes a good delegate, Frosty reckons it’s about being genuine and transparent. “You don’t need to know everything. What matters most is knowing right from wrong, speaking with honesty and conviction, and not being afraid to make mistakes. Be transparent with your members. If they see that you’re genuine, they’ll stand with you. With trust, anything is possible.” “One of my proudest achievements is seeing others grow, finding their voice, stepping up. It means we’re in good hands for the future.” “Government’s come and go but in five to ten years we’ll still be here standing strong.” Projects, People and Perspective Frosty’s worked on some of Australia’s biggest builds, Brisbane’s Clem7 and Legacy Way, the LNG fields out west, the INPEX project in Darwin, and now Cross River Rail. “Being a sparkie has taken me across the world. I’ve seen well-run union jobs, and I’ve seen cowboy jobs where suicide rosters were a real issue. It’s not just about wiring things, it’s about people.”

Campaigns and Causes He’s been part of some of the ETU’s biggest campaigns; Not4Sale, Change the Rules, and Put Dutton Last. “That one was personal. On election night I was glued to the ABC. When Antony Green called Dickson for Ali at 8.30pm, I was in shock. How good was it, there was an LNP Muppet saying ‘wait for the postals and pre polls, we are confident Petter will win’. Ha no he didn’t and good riddance. Dutton the horrible man who peddled hate and division was gone and the whole LNP was in disarray, so good.”

For many years Frosty and wife Jayne’s free time was taken up with daughter Liv’s netball, where she showed considerable talent, making age level state teams when she was younger. “Now Liv is older netball has faded a bit; and life is a little more relaxed where we have family nights at our Scarborough home, and we also attend the occasional Broncos games and concerts together as a family.” “I don’t really take holidays. We live in a beautiful area on the peninsula, with our pool, beautiful beaches and rainforests, why go far?” Proud Moments – From Little Things Big Things Grow When asked about some of his proudest personal moments Frosty is clearly very proud of daughter Liv and her social conscience. "One of my proudest moments was when Liv, at just 11 years old, decided to donate all her savings to help others, the crew from the MV Portland and ended up inspiring others to follow her example.“ “Liv had overheard me and Jayne talking about the MV Portland crew being sacked just before Christmas and quietly offered the $65 she had been saving for an iPhone. ‘Can you please send this to the workers in Victoria, will it help?’ she asked. We told her honestly, Not a lot, but Mum and I will match it, and I promised to take it to work to see what more could be done.” “When we asked her why she was giving up something she’d been saving so long for, Liv simply said, ‘It’s so close to Christmas, they need it more than I need an iPhone.’” That small act of kindness lit a spark. Within days, a tin passed around at Frosty’s work had raised over $4,500. “Months later, at a barbecue, some of the former MV Portland crew told visiting NT Organiser Dave ‘Strawbs” Hayes how that gesture from Darwin ‘brought them to tears.’ They even called Liv on the phone to say thank you, a moment of quiet pride. (Oh and Liv did get her iPhone for her birthday.)” Hidden Talents “Many people may not know this, but I was a busker for a while. Ah but only to get under the CLP’s skin at the Palmerston markets in the NT. They complained when my daughter Liv and I used to turn up to their stall with a wheel of misfortune warning the punters about the CLP’s policies things like They sold the Port of Darwin etc we had wigs and lollies for the kids and everything. We were advised we needed a licence, so I got a busker’s licence, we went back and we had a lot of fun.” Frosty on Frosty What makes you happy? “Being with my family. Seeing them happy makes me happy.” What makes you angry? “Bosses, most of them anyway. I’m sure there are good ones. I just haven’t met many.” What does being ETU mean? “Being ETU means - having someone in my corner when I need it, someone who will answer when I call, someone who will stand beside me for support and knowing I would do the same.” Frosty’s story is a unique story of character, commitment, resilience and the power of the collective. He has risen above disappointment to walk the walk and talk the talk. Our union is stronger with comrades like Frosty in our corner.

Trevor Moy – A Quiet Strength in the ETU Story When Trevor Moy joined the ETU on April 8, 1965, he began a journey that now spans more than six decades, a journey marked by both hard-won victories and painful setbacks. From securing better safety standards and improved livingaway-from-home conditions, to witnessing the toll of the SEQEB dispute, Trevor’s experience reflects the broader story of our union: one of solidarity, struggle, and resilience. Though he retired in 2007, before the era-defining Not4Sale campaigns Trevor never drifted from the union that shaped so much of his life. In fact, he helped establish the Honorary Members Group alongside long-serving members Gordon Abbott Snr and Ray Lawrance, continuing his quiet commitment to the ETU and its history. When you visit Trevor and his wife Carol at their home in Upper Mount Gravatt, Brisbane, you’re met with genuine warmth. Out front, there’s a makeshift enclosed fire pit surrounded by a few casually placed outdoor chairs, clearly designed for good company and easy conversation. On the front door side window is a Stop Uranium Mining sticker a little faded but still bold, another conversation starter. And conversation is exactly what follows. Wearing his signature union red socks, “I put these red socks on whenever I’m talking union, have done for 40 years,” he says Trevor speaks with the calm and measured tone of someone who has seen a lot and carries it lightly. We talked about his childhood in Gordonvale, his pathway into the electrical trade, and what it has meant to be part of the ETU over the decades. There’s a quiet strength in the way Trevor tells his story. He doesn’t speak to impress, nor does he dwell on his own contributions. He talks instead about collective effort, about what “we” achieved. During the time this article was being written, Trevor faced a health scare. True to character, he didn’t dwell on it. Instead, he spoke of wanting to help raise awareness so others could be protected. And it’s this instinct, to think of others first that defines Trevor. He was clearly a little uneasy about being the subject of this piece. When we met to go through a draft, he was quick to downplay his role. “Tone it down a bit, mate,” he said. “I’m just an ordinary member, a family man. I did what was necessary. We wouldn’t have achieved anything without fellow members and knowing we had the ETU behind us. Every improvement came from standing together.” That humility is exactly what makes Trevor’s story so powerful. The ETU is made up of thousands of people like Trevor, members who never seek the spotlight but form the backbone of our union. It’s through their dedication, solidarity, and quiet resolve that real change has been built and defended. Trevor Moy was born in 1943 in the small town of Gordonvale, about 30 kilometres south of Cairns. Raised alongside his older sister Cynthia by parents Harold and Jessie, he grew up in a modest Queenslander home. He completed school up to Year 10 in Cairns and began his fiveyear electrical apprenticeship in Gordonvale. In 1965, at just 21, he moved to Brisbane, where he would build a life, a career, and a six-decade bond with the ETU. Trevor’s journey is not one of individual glory, but of collective strength and principled dedication. His story is part of the living history of our union. And in sharing it, we honour all those whose steady hands and unwavering commitment have shaped the ETU over the past 110 years.

Unionism and Labor Values Unionism and Labor politics were part of the fabric of everyday life during Trevor’s early years. His father, Harold, was a proud Catholic and a staunch Labor man, fiercely opposed to the infamous Labor split and the formation of the Democratic Labor Party (DLP). “Yeah, I grew up around unionism, I knew what it was and what it meant,” Trevor reflects. “Dad was a Shop Steward with the AWU, and the local organiser lived just a few doors down. I remember when he came home with a new FJ Holden, big moment back then.” Harold worked at the Mulgrave Sugar Mill and was deeply involved with the AWU. “That was back in the days when the AWU stood for something and were good,” Trevor adds with a quiet smile. This commitment to workers' rights naturally flowed into broader Labor politics, and Trevor was drawn into it from a young age. “I remember getting out there to letterbox during election time. We’d deliver The Workers Paper, it was just what you did.” Despite his deep political convictions, Harold never let politics get in the way of people. His friendships cut across party lines, a trait that left a strong mark on Trevor. “Yeah, dad had mates who were way out on the left, and others who were cane farmers and Country Party loyalists. He respected people, whatever their politics.” Reflections on Family and Working-Class Life Talking about family brings up memories both proud and painful. Trevor speaks plainly about the struggles that shaped so many working-class lives in mid-20thcentury Queensland, realities that were far from romanticised visions of life in the tropics. His family’s story is one marked by hardship and resilience. Harold came from an Irish Catholic background, while Trevor’s mother had Anglican roots and carried the Trevor name. The family’s history includes deep loss, many relatives on Harold’s side, including Trevor’s grandparents and several of their children, died from tuberculosis. When illness swept through Brisbane and Harold’s father passed away, a neighbour took him and his brother far from home and facing an uncertain future, they found refuge in Forest Hill. “The family who took them in used to say, ‘Suddenly one day, two orphans came to stay.’” That experience left a lasting impression. “Until his dying days, dad was still worried he might have TB. He was always nervous that it would mean he couldn't see family.”

From Gordonvale to a Life of Quiet Dedication Leaving school at 16, Trevor began a five-year electrical apprenticeship with local firm WB Windfield in Gordonvale. He remembers those days as hardworking but rewarding. “It was good, I enjoyed the work. We got to do a bit of everything, drive-in theatres in Cairns and Mareeba, hotel refurbs on the Tablelands, and plenty of local jobs around town.” After qualifying, Trevor took a risk. He left for Brisbane with just £56 and no job to go to. “My parents weren’t too keen on the idea, and my boss said I’d always be welcome back. I didn’t really plan to stay in Brisbane, it just worked out that way.” A Job for Life, and the Love of His Life Soon after arriving in Brisbane with a mate, Trevor was invited to a 21st birthday party. But first, he needed a suit. “I ordered a suit, that was my money gone! We thought we’d go on the dole for a while, but when we got to the office, they offered us a job on the spot.” Trevor accepted a position with SEAQ (now Powerlink) as an underground labourer at Rocklea. “I remember I started the week before the party, worked Monday, Tuesday had a ‘sickie’ on Wednesday to pick up my suit and buy presents, turned up for work and worked the rest of the week.” So, he had a job, little money, a suit and an invitation. At the 21st, held at the National Hotel on the corner of Queen and Albert Streets in Brisbane’s CBD, his life changed again. “I saw this funny little girl standing in the crowd. I introduced myself and we got on pretty good. Her name was Carol. I met her father, that’s what you did back then. I’d had a few beers and told him I’d drive her home. He said, ‘No, but you can ask her out next weekend.’” Trevor did just that. “I drove down to Palm Beach where Carol and her family were holidaying, and we met up there.” Trevor and Carol, whom he affectionately calls Bizz, have been together ever since. Married in 1969, they raised three children: Michael, Mechelle, and Christopher. Over the years, their family and their bond has continued to grow with four grandchildren added to the clan.

A Life Rooted in Family Family has always been at the heart of Trevor and Carol’s private lives. Trevor even timed his retirement to align with a new chapter in their family life, when their first granddaughter was born. “Both Carol and I have helped care for the next generation and supported our kids, we love it. It’s such a wonderful thing.” Trevor also speaks warmly of Carol’s parents, Nita and Frank. After Frank passed away at just 55, Nita remained close to the family and lived nearby in Upper Mount Gravatt. “Both Nita and Frank were great people,” Trevor says. Carol fondly remembers her mother being a steady presence in their lives and a great support during the years she ran her hairdressing salon. “Mum and I would catch up most days, and if we missed a day, the next time we met she’d smile and say, ‘hello stranger.’”

Enduring Values From his early days in Gordonvale to a full life in Brisbane, Trevor’s story is one of hard work, loyalty, and love. It’s not just the story of a long career or a move to the city, it’s about being there for family, embracing life’s opportunities, and staying true to the people who matter most. ETU/Electrical History: The Highs and Lows In 1965 Trevor joined the ETU, beginning a long career in the electrical industry. Starting as an underground labourer at Rocklea, it wasn’t long before his qualifications were recognised. “They used to joke that I had the quickest promotion ever,” Trevor recalls. “I started as a labourer, but armed with my qualifications, I was quickly offered a role at the Rocklea Substation, where Wayne Randall was the Shop Steward.” When Wayne became an organiser, Trevor took over as Shop Steward at Rocklea, a moment that marked the start of his deep involvement with the union. Trevor remembers those early years as both challenging and rewarding. “There was a lot of high voltage construction back then,” he says. “We’d head out to the Darling Downs and Warwick, building and connecting 110kV substations. It usually meant being away for the week, getting back Friday, stopping for a few beers on the way home, and hitting the pub again Saturday. When I look back now, I shudder, not my proudest moments.” His wife Carol, always honest, adds with a smile: “Yep, it was different back then. Trevor didn’t change a nappy until our first grandchild came along. Thankfully, the culture changed, and things have kept getting better.”

Changes in the Industry and Lessons Learned Over the decades, Trevor saw the industry change dramatically, and credits the ETU for driving much of the progress. “Back when I first started, you’d see blokes working in just shorts and no shirts, PPE was virtually non-existent,” he says. “Thankfully, over the years, the union pushed and secured major changes.” He recalls a close call that highlighted the risks: “The EPTs safety standards were poor making them death traps. And there were no safety ropes, no barriers around 110kV circuit breakers or isolators. The live and cold sides looked identical. One day, we saw a young apprentice about to climb up on a live isolator. We stopped him just in time. That was a real wake-up call.” With union support, a dual rope system was introduced, red for the live side, yellow for cold. “It was a simple change, but it made a massive difference. Probably saved lives.” He also saw the union shift its stance on contractors. “There was a time when contractors were used to break union strength, especially during SEQEB. Bjelke-Petersen used them to try and destroy the ETU. But times changed. We adapted. Now, the union recruits and represents contractors, making sure everyone gets a fair go.”

Standing Ground on Work Conditions Among Trevor’s proudest union moments was the long fight over Working Away from Home conditions. “The foreman at Rocklea, a bloke called Pat, wanted us to go from one week away to two, to do a job up in Gin Gin, with no extra support. We had a meeting and proposed a bit of extra money for washing clothes and phone calls home. He flat-out refused. So, we said, ‘Well, we’re not going then.’ And we stood our ground for 18 months.” The dispute spread across the Gulf Country and Far North Queensland and eventually went to the Commission. “The result: a $3 per week Inconvenience Allowance, indexed to cost-ofliving increases. It was a big win. The funny thing? The Gin Gin job still went ahead, but I wasn’t picked to go,” Trevor chuckles. “But watching everyone hold the line for 18 months, that’s what I was proud of. That’s solidarity.” Trevor remembers the day Pat tried to dock his pay: “I was four minutes late, the boys were in the truck, and Pat said, ‘You’re late. I’m docking you half an hour’s pay.’ I said, ‘So I’ll start at 8am then,’ and sat down. The boys were roaring. After a few minutes he said, ‘Don’t be so bloody stupid, get in the truck.’ I said, ‘You paying me then?’ ‘Yes,’ was his reply. The crew cheered.” Then there was the time during the ’74 floods: “We had been doing subs work at Tennyson and heard that one of our members’ houses had been flooded. We got the dinghy in the water and started helping. When we told Pat, he hit the roof ‘You’ll be bloody docked for this.’ But later, a circular came around thanking people who volunteered during the flood emergency and confirming they’d be paid in full. We showed it to Pat…” In 1975, Trevor and his crew refused to travel in an unsafe vehicle: “There were nine of us crammed into a truck with tools loose on the floor. No barrier. They told us to hitch a trailer with broken lights. We asked for a signed exemption in case we got pulled over. Management refused. So, we refused to go. Four weeks later, every vehicle had safety barriers. That’s what action gets you.” Another standout memory: “I ended up on the front page of the Telegraph, ‘Union delegate forces the boys out on strike.’ That never happened, but I was still a bit proud.”

Trevor’s habit of taking detailed notes also proved valuable. When management tried to deny an old relocation agreement, Trevor pulled out his notes and a signed copy. “I made twelve copies, and with the support of delegates Shane Mills and Shane King, handed them out. That ended the argument. Management pulled the process immediately. Still don’t know if HR ever found the originals.” Trevor worked under three ETU State Secretaries and has been a member under five and saw many changes. He believes the biggest gains for Powerlink workers have come in the past two decades. “Since the early 2000s, the union has gone from strength to strength. With strong delegates like the two Shanes at the EBA table and the ETU backing them all the way, real improvements were made.” He’s also seen what happens in industries without strong unions. “I’ve seen it firsthand through some of my kids in hospitality and retail, and Carol as a teacher aide, where unions aren’t strong, workers struggle to get ahead.” SEQEB – Bitterness Lingers “It still hurts. I felt a lot of sympathy for Dinny Madden, he copped a lot from the press. And I knew blokes who were sacked. Many never fully recovered. They were bad days. The controllers at Swanbank and Llew Edwards sold us out.” Trevor’s crew wasn’t directly involved, but they went out in solidarity. “We were out for three weeks. I remember heading up to Richlands to help on the picket. The place was crawling with police. Just trying to intimidate the strikers. It was rough.” And then there was an unexpected act of kindness. “One day our neighbour, a self-employed welder, not someone we were particularly close with, just turned up with $50 worth of meat. Said nothing. Just did it. I never forgot that.” Later, a quiet moment of revenge came full circle. “An ex-storeman who scabbed during SEQEB was still working for one of the companies. Somehow, he ended up at a tyre place where a sacked member worked. All I can say is, they got him. Let’s leave it at that. Yes, there’s still bitterness.” Honorary Members Group After retiring, Trevor stayed closely connected to the ETU, honoured to be granted Honorary Membership. “It means a lot to be acknowledged as an Honorary Member of the ETU and I took the opportunity along with Gordon Abbott Snr and Ray Lawrance to help set up the ETU Honorary Members Group.” “I felt like I wasn’t contributing much for the first 18 months. But that eased off as the grandkids got older.” Trevor attended the union’s 110-year Biennial Conference with the group and was encouraged by what he saw. “I was impressed with the young members coming through the ranks of the union,” he said, while also acknowledging a comrade. “Gordon has done a great job with the Honorary Members Group, and while his will be big shoes to fill, I reckon Shane Mills will be great too.” At a Christmas dinner hosted at the ETU bar and grill, Trevor was reminded of the importance of safety and how quickly life can change. “As the president of the union was reading out the names of all the members who had passed in the last year, Peter McWilliam’s name was read out. The memory of Teo, a young apprentice who was killed on the job, came to mind.” Trevor recounted what happened.

“We were out at Mudgeeraba, there was lots of different activities going on, there were field test crews and other crews milling around, then we saw this bloke just hanging off test equipment. We had only had one lesson in resus, but we knew straight away he was already deceased. I pulled the low voltage wires out of the way, and Peter and I got to work making the area safe while Mike Cooper started resus and held Teo who was pronounced dead at the top before Peter and I lowered him off using a body belt a while later. Mike was the hero that day showing Teo dignity and respect all workers deserve. “Once we got Teo down we put a canvas sheet over him until the black van came and took him away. The whole experience made me feel really sad for Teo and his family. It highlighted the frailty of life.” “There was an inquest and the union pushed for greater safety training and better processes. It was a sad time, but good came out of it eventually. While I don’t drink anymore, I do remember back then Peter and I having a few drinks and supporting each other after the experience.” Retirement, Activism, and Always Time for a Yarn Despite retiring in 2007, Trevor hasn’t slowed down. He and Carol remain close to family and are deeply involved in their local community. “We still catch up pretty regular and we help out when they need us or want to catch up if we can, they all live up the Sunshine Coast, so it is not too far to travel.” They host regular get-togethers at home, often around Trevor’s makeshift fire pit. “We are very community minded, and we love nothing better than hosting a street get together.” Trevor’s hobbies keep him grounded, whittling walking sticks, making wind chimes, repurposing tappet covers, and beekeeping to mention a few. “I’ve been beekeeping for around 40 years. I have about 10 of them around the backyard, they are native stingless bees. I don’t do it for the honey, I do it for the bees. It’s also a positive hobby. Our son Christopher also has some hives.” Trevor also has a soft spot for cars. “I’ve had Minis since 1962, including the one in the picture with Carol in 1965. They are a great car and hold some great memories, and the Peugeot is great too.” May Day, Politics, and Looking Ahead Trevor recalls his early May Day experiences fondly. “I can remember back in the 1960s–70s May Day celebrations. We’d go back to the old Wharfies club down by the Valley and New Farm, there would always be a bit going on. I can remember speeches from Bob Hawke and others. But today the marches seem to be getting bigger and it’s great to see so many younger members and families coming along. It’s all about showing solidarity and camaraderie.” Union membership has shaped Trevor’s life and views. He sees a stark contrast between well-unionised sectors and others. Trevor’s commitment to fairness is longstanding. He recalls confronting racism in his youth. “Casual racism was very much a part of growing up in North Queensland. I can remember going to the pictures one night and hearing a group of Aboriginal singers singing gospel songs in their own language. One of the boys with us commented, ‘Listen to the natives gabbing in their own lingo.’ I remember thinking, not sure if I said it, ‘They can speak in two languages, can you?’” Politically, Trevor continues to support Labor, but with a critical eye and sharpened pencil. “Public opinion matters to politicians; the more people contact them the better.” Trevor still writes letters to his local politicians when the need arises and encourages people on the progressive side of politics to do the same. On the AUKUS deal, he’s clear. “The AUKUS agreement is a disgrace, a waste of money that locks us into a toxic nuclear future without our consent.” “I’ve been opposed to nuclear for a long time, back to the seventies when the French were testing nuclear bombs in the Pacific at Moruroa Atoll. I can also remember the ridiculous advice given in the event of a nuclear attack: ‘put your head under the desk.’ And it hasn’t got much better with Dutton’s claims about nuclear waste being safe. It’s toxic and it kills.” Being ETU For Trevor, being part of the ETU is about more than just industrial representation. “The ETU proudly represents our members industrially every day, but we also think about our communities and the wider world. We take social responsibility seriously and I would say the ETU is the most socially conscious union there is, and I’m proud of that.” A Life of Solidarity Trevor Moy joined the ETU in 1965. Over 60 years later, his life remains a reflection of union values, quiet resilience, and commitment to justice. Though officially retired, Trevor continues to pursue the goal of leaving the place better than he found it. That kind of solidarity doesn’t fade with time. From red union socks to a fading STOP URANIUM MINING sticker, Trevor’s story is a living part of the ETU’s legacy.

Straight Shooter, Diesel Heart: The Story of Jamie Walmsley If you ever find yourself in Alice Springs and hear the deep, unmistakable growl of a Harley Davidson, there’s a fair chance it’s Jamie Walmsley rolling past. And if you follow the sound down to a local ETU meeting, a roadside campaign, or maybe even a family barbecue in full swing well, you’ve found the man himself. Jamie the kid from the bush is the kind of member you just love being around he is a staunch unionist with a heart of gold, but you don’t want to cross him. Jamie hits the sweet spot, he’s universally respected, but his larrikin spirit is there for all to see. Straight-talking, fiercely loyal, with a handshake that means something and a memory full of stories from diesel generators, political protests, and power station battles. He’s a Senior Generation Operator at the Ron Goodin Power Station in Alice Springs, a long-time ETU senior delegate, and one the recipients of the ETU 36th Biennial Conference Outstanding Member Award. Jamie can get emotional and angry when people are suffering, he can laugh and shout, what you see is a proud trade unionist, doing what proud trade unionists do, negotiating, standing up, having the blue when necessary and never taking a backward step on the things that matter, dignity, safety and people. Enjoy this insight into one of our union’s colourful characters. At 56, Jamie is the kind of bloke you’d call “salt of the earth.” Ask him about his proudest personal moment he gives two. Without missing a beat, he says, “The day my wife Jen and I got married. She's been with me the whole journey – stuck by me through better or worse.” That was 29 years ago, but they have been together since Jamie was just 20. “After that it would have been the days my kids were born, but now that they have grown up and are forging their own paths, interacting with them as adults is a priceless reward.” From Naracoorte to the Red Centre Jamie’s journey starts in Naracoorte, a small town in southeast South Australia where he grew up in a family with strong values though no noticeable union roots. Young Jamie was your average regional Aussie kid, got through school the best he could before taking on a trade, in the first instant panel beating. “I went to a public primary and high schools, nothing really to mention there, I wasn’t a great student or athlete, just a kid from the bush curious about how things worked.” “My dad was the managing director of an International Truck and Datsun car dealership that had nearly 40 employees. Mum was a stay-at-home mum. I wouldn’t say we were a union family growing up.” And yet, there was a seed planted somewhere in that ancestry. “Funnily enough, my nephew gave me my grandfather’s union certificate recently, he was made an Honorary Member of the Australian Federated Union of Locomotive Enginemen back in 1957. It’s found its way to the right hands, I reckon.” After a stint as a qualified panel beater, Jamie then went onto driving trucks before a slight licensing issue took him on the road north to Alice Springs in the early '90s. He then drifted through various other jobs such as sand blaster, rubber liner, light vehicle mechanic, fuel tanker driver and working as an operator in Australia’s smallest oil refinery at the time. Jamie takes up the story. Diesel, Grit & Brotherhood Jamie loved his union “After moving to Alice, I had a few different labouring positions sticker collection so until I first got involved in the electrical industry when I started much he had his new work in the powerhouse at Pine Gap filling in for the cleaner for fridge wrapped with the three months in 1992. After that I was offered a position as a old fridges original trade assistant and after further training I progressed to become sticker designs! a mechanical utility technician on a shift work relief roster.” Those early gigs at Pine Gap not only sparked Jamie’s passion for heavy machinery and power systems but also gave him a taste of worker solidarity. He was a member of the AMWU, even serving as a delegate for a time and the union values and camaraderie he experienced there have stayed with him throughout his working life. “As a young bloke from the country, who had a keen interest in all things mechanical, working in the powerhouse, seeing the large diesel generators with all the other equipment impressed me no end.”

“I also worked with a great bunch of people; it was good wages and conditions and there was a strong sense of camaraderie within the powerhouse. There was also a very strong work hard, play hard culture, which also appealed to me.” There must be something about power station workers, they stick together.

“I’ve also found a strong sense of camaraderie and mateship working in all the different power stations I’ve worked in.” After four years at Pine Gap Jamie took on a diesel fitter apprenticeship at the Ron Goodin Power Station, followed by time at The Granites Gold Mine, and then returned to PowerWater/Territory Generation, where he’s been ever since. Over the years, Jamie has built a career filled with hard work, valuable experiences, and proud achievements in the power generation industry. He reflects fondly on being involved in major overhauls at various power stations and participating in some of the most impactful campaigns. Among his standout accomplishments are large diesel engine crankshaft change-outs and life extension works at Pine Gap, the overhaul of six dual fuel engines at Power and Water Corporation, and the overhaul of three gas turbines at the same organisation. He also takes pride in his sole operation and maintenance of two power stations at The Granites Gold Mine. One of the most formative experiences in his career, Jamie recalls, was the high level of training and hands-on experience he received when he first began training as an operator at Power and Water. “If you can put up with the heat, noise, filth, and bullshit,” he laughs, “it can be quite a rewarding job.” Union Values: Not Born, But Earned Though Jamie’s immediate family weren’t heavily unionised, he felt early on that membership made sense. When he was an apprentice at Ron Goodin in 1998, he joined the ETU: “I was on good wages and conditions, and I knew they had been hard fought for, so it was the right thing to, join and be a part of it.” He stepped away from the ETU when his work moved him out of the industry, but rejoined in 2004 when he returned to Ron Goodin as a trainee operator. Over the years he’s held many roles within the ETU: Delegate, Senior Delegate, State Councillor, State Executive, National Divisional Council representative. Each role, he says, taught him something about leadership, about what keeps a union strong. Jamie is the kind of delegate bosses lose sleep over, because he does his homework, and he doesn’t back down. Accolades shared and added to by State Assistant Secretary Stuart Traill. “Jamie is known not only for his leadership and advocacy but also for bringing humour and camaraderie to every situation. His contributions have left a lasting legacy in the ETU’s proud history.” For his work over the years, he has received the following awards 2016 ETU NT Delegate of the Year 2018 ACTU NT Volunteer of the Year 2025 ETU Outstanding Member Award Jamie proudly points out “I’ve currently have them taking pride of place in the dining room at home.” Campaigns, Crises & Community “Being an ETU member, delegate, holding the positions I have and being involved in EBA negotiations and the campaigns we have run over the years has been some of the most fulfilling times of my life and has, I believe helped me grow as a person.” A few moments stand above the rest in Jamie’s union story, not just for the wins, but for what they revealed about people, power, and solidarity. “Don’t Leave Alice Springs in the Dark” Campaign and Outcomes On October 13, 2019, Alice Springs was plunged into crisis. On a sweltering 40-degree day, a System Black event knocked out power to a large portion of the towns 26,000 populations for 11 hours. Hospitals struggled to operate. Elderly residents collapsed in the heat and darkness. Medical equipment failed. Vital medications spoiled. The entire community was left vulnerable. Jamie and the ETU took the fight head-on. The Don’t Leave Alice Springs in the Dark campaign was launched with a dedicated website, media releases were issued, media coverage was extensive, ministers were contacted and challenged, and most importantly, the community was given a voice. “If you ever want to run an issue through that is widely and deeply felt, try blacking out a town of 26,000 people for 11 hours on a 40-degree day when Bathurst is on!” The campaign demanded accountability, called for an independent review, and exposed the systemic risks that had been ignored for too long. The ETU had been raising issues about Alice Springs energy grid for over two years, but they fell on deaf ears as management failed to act. The outcomes were significant: Complete management overhauls at Power and Water Corporation (PWC) and Territory Generation (TGen) Revised operational protocols A clear recognition that remote “risk management” was failing in practice The successful fight to keep Ron Goodin Power Station open, protecting local jobs and strengthening grid security “An independent review performed afterwards confirmed everything we had been saying was correct … the town got behind the ETU … for supporting our workers … everyone knew we were fighting for what’s right.” “Don’t Leave Alice Springs in the Dark was a long, hard-fought battle that we eventually won. We helped secure the future of the Alice Springs power system and saved local jobs at Ron Goodin. It was an important campaign. The town got behind us. What started as a fight about redundancies became something much bigger, about safety, security, and doing what’s right.” “He is a full throttle 100% union, community activist, what you see is what you get. Through the campaign, Jamie was a tireless advocate for his members and his community while also navigating the personal challenge of knowing his job was on the chopping block.” ETU Assistant State Secretary Stuart Traill.

“Not4Sale” (2016 NT Election) Jamie laughs remembering the energy of this campaign: “It was hilarious, we had a lot of fun … ETU members and their families … spreading the word.” “It was grassroots, roadside stalls, leafletting, conversations around dinner tables, polling booths, pre poll, you name it we were there. And it worked: the Labor Party won three seats in Central Australia. For the first time. It created a lot of community and political awareness at the time.” Other memorable campaigns “Marching for Industrial Manslaughter Laws in Brisbane across the Story Bridge with thousands of comrades, closing the city down, then seeing legislation rolled out across the country was amazing.” “And Voluntary Assisted Dying (VAD) Laws, it’s morally the right thing to do and after seeing Simmo’s involvement with it, I don’t need to say any more.” Good memories, comrades and influences Ask Jamie for some of his other favourite union memories and the people who have influenced his union journey thus far, you get a further insight into what makes Jamie tick. “Mate as mentioned before, marching with thousands in Brisbane across the Story Bridge… joining with CFMEU and AMWU members, shouting for Industrial Manslaughter laws, that was something. Watching how we shut the place down and how the cops responded was eye opening. But finally seeing IM laws rolled out across the country was awesome.” And while big rallies are great Jamie has many fond memories of EBA negotiations too. “Getting to the final outcome stages of EBA negotiations when the members, the union and all involved have given their all and improvements have been made. Always make me proud of our union and its members.” Comrades Jamie when asked the biggest influences on his electrical/union journey cites some heavy hitters. The late Peter Simpson (Simmo), Stuart Traill, Peter Ong and Trevor Gauld all get a mention as does former State Secretary Dick Williams as well as current and present assistant secretaries. “I have always had a great deal of respect for and gotten on well with all of them. And usually into some sort of unusual situation with them while having a cold drink after work…” While there have also been a few other people over the years at different places that have always set high standards in their work, it’s Jamie’s dad who set the benchmark from an early age. “With my work it would probably be my father, he instilled in us the importance of doing the right thing and helping others. he was a big believer in the old fair days’ work for a fair days’ pay idea”

May Day One of the collective achievements Jamie is proudest of is the growing pride in the ETU and the increasing attendance at the May Day celebrations in Alice Springs. “From the first march I took part in back in 2007, when there were just three of us, to a few years later with over 30 participants, a Power and Water line truck decorated with ETU flags and banners, and many members’ children marching proudly in their ETU May Day shirts, it’s been a fantastic journey. The numbers may fluctuate, but it’s always a great day.” And the worst memories? 1. The contempt shown to workers during Territory Generations “transformation process” by HR & management. 2. The division of the workforce by Territory Generation. 3. The NT Government listening to bosses not the workers. 4. The Shredder Gate Scandal after the Alice Springs System Black of October 13, 2019. Ended up a very funny story though. 5. Members of the government repeatedly not listening to the subject matter experts regarding Power Generation & Distribution. 6. Personal attacks that took place on myself and other delegates from management & HR at the time of the blackout for insisting on accountability for their poor decisions. Family, Bikes & What’s Next Outside the power station and the union office, Jamie’s a proud family man. Married to Jen for nearly 30 years, they raised three kids: Bianca, a nurse in Hobart; Jack, a refrigeration mechanic who works remotely; and Mollie, normally at home but currently exploring Europe after smashing her HSC with Honours. “No grandkids yet – not that I’m aware of!” he laughs. He’s also a motorcycle enthusiast – owning a 2023 Harley Davidson Breakout, with more upgrades planned than he’s willing to admit. “I’ve spent an undisclosed sum of money on it, and I’m not done yet,” he grins. Jamie’s taking some well-earned time off, working on home renovations, and thinking about the next chapter. “When I retire, I’ll ride more, travel more, and enjoy life at my own pace.” A Fair Day’s Work At his core, Jamie still holds the values his father taught him: do the right thing, help others, and stand by your work. “A fair day’s work for a fair day’s pay. That’s what it’s always been about.” And what does the ETU mean to him? “It’s the smartest, most progressive, politically active and socially aware trade union out there. And it’s my other family.” That’s Jamie Walmsley – straight shooter, diesel heart, and a union man through and through.

Turning $76K in offers into $2.2M in payouts it pays to be Union, it pays to be ETU The ETU and Hall Payne Lawyers we’re on your side! Hall Payne Lawyers recent Wins FOR Our Members Electrician The worker was injured when he tripped on a hazard that had been left in an access way on site. Injuries: Ankle The workers’ compensation insurer (the insurer) initially offered approx. $30,000.00 in full and final settlement of the worker’s claim. The worker was off for a period of time and eventually returned to their pre-injury employment duties in a lighter capacity. HPL recommended the worker reject the offer from the insurer and pursue a common law claim against their employer and principal contractor who both strongly denied liability. The case was ultimately successful with the worker being awarded damages in the sum of approximately $325,000.00. Electrician The worker was injured whilst dismantling an air conditioning unit. Injuries: Knee The insurer initially offered approximately $15,000.00 in full and final settlement of the worker’s claim. The worker was off work for a period of time and eventually returned to their pre-injury employment. HPL recommended the worker pursue a common law claim against their employer. The employer initially denied liability and proceedings were commenced in Court. The case was ultimately successful with the working being awarded damages in the sum of approximately $225,000.00. Linesperson The worker was injured whilst assisting with the standing of a new power pole. Injuries: Knee The insurer initially offered $0.00 in full and final settlement of the worker’s claim. The worker was off for a period of time and returned to their preinjury employment undertaking alternate duties. HPL recommended the worker pursue a common law claim against his employer. The case was ultimately successful with the worker being awarded damages in the sum of approximately $180,000.00

Administration Officer The worker was the driver of a motor vehicle involved in an accident during the course of employment Injuries: PTSD The insurer initially offered approximately $3,000.00 in full and final settlement of the workers’ compensation claim. HPL recommended the worker pursue a common law claim against the at fault driver. The case was ultimately successful with the worker being awarded damages in the sum of approximately $750,000.00 Electrician The worker was injured whilst conducting a cable pull. Injuries: Wrist The insurer initially offered just under $20,000.00 in full and final settlement of the worker’s claim. The worker was off for a period of time and returned to his pre-injury employment. HPL recommended the worker pursue a common law claim against their employer. The employer initially denied liability and proceedings were commenced in Court. HPL progressed the case through the court process. The case was ultimately successful with the worker being paid damages in the sum of approximately $300,000.00 Linesman The worker was injured in the course of their employment. Injuries: Psychiatric The insurer disputed liability for the claim asserting that the psychological injury arose as a result of reasonable management action. HPL commenced proceedings and the case was ultimately successful with compensation of approximately $350,000.00 being paid.

ENTERPRISE AGREEMENT ENTERPRISE AGREEMENT BARGAINING BARGAINING HEATING UP HEATING UP ININ THE THE NORTHERN NORTHERN TERRITORY! TERRITORY!

The Origin of Solidarity: Exploring some of Darwin’s profound history with Strawbs DARWIN HARBOUR On 19 February 1942, war came roaring to Australia’s doorstep. Just ten weeks after Pearl Harbor, Japanese aircraft launched two devastating raids on Darwin Harbour. In less than an hour, more bombs fell on the Darwin than on Pearl itself. The sky turned black with smoke as ships burned, aircraft exploded, and the town was torn apart. Over 250 people were killed; soldiers, sailors, dock workers, nurses, and locals, all caught in the chaos of a war they’d only read about weeks before. It was the first time mainland Australia was attacked, a brutal reminder that isolation offered no safety. From the wreckage rose resilience and solidarity: workers rebuilt, evacuees returned, and the people of Darwin refused to fold. The bombings changed Australia forever, waking the nation to not just its vulnerability, but now its strength. What was once a battered harbour is today a hub of military muscle, with bases, airfields, and defence infrastructure. Billions have been poured into upgrades, power systems, radar, communications, and heavy installations and it’s the hands of skilled tradespeople that make it all possible. ETU members have been on the tools for much of it, wiring the backbone of Australia’s northern defence.

THE DARWIN WORKERS CLUB Proud Piece of Territory Working-Class History The Darwin Workers Club has stood as a symbol of Territory workers, community spirit and union pride for generations. The story of the Workers Club stretches back more than a century. The first idea for a workers’ social club appeared in 1914, but it wasn’t until 1946 that it truly came to life when the Royal Australian Navy granted land to the North Australian Workers Union. From there, the club quickly became a social heartbeat for working people in the Top End. Old-timers still talk about the boxing matches, sporting events, blood drives and kids’ Christmas parties that filled the place with life from the 1940s through to the 1970s. Cyclone Tracy, financial pressures and the changing times hit the club hard, leading to redevelopments, amalgamations and ultimately closure in the late ’80s. However Territory workers don’t give up that easily, and neither does the spirit of the Darwin Workers Club. Today, the club has been revived with a renewed sense of purpose: a place where workers, unionists and community members can come together in a positive, welcoming environment. You feel the history instantly, the resilience, the solidarity, and the unmistakable Territory character that has shaped generations of working people. The Darwin Workers Club is a symbol that the strength of the Territory has always come from its workers, and getting together as combined unions helps keep that spirit alive.

Culture That Stands: Darwin’s Indigenous Legacy Aboriginal art in Darwin reflects the deep cultural roots of the Larrakia people, the Traditional Owners of the region, and the wider First Nations of the Northern Territory. Long before colonisation, art was used to share stories, law, and connection to Country. Today, that heritage lives on through vibrant murals, galleries, and public installations across the city. From ancient rock art traditions to modern street pieces, Aboriginal artists in Darwin blend old and new to express identity, resilience, and pride. The city’s art scene stands as both a cultural celebration and a statement of survival on Larrakia 67 land.

ETU IN THE COMMUNITY

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ETU Members, alo ng with the B.T.G, Spent countless Saturd ays renovating Boss Boxing’s new GYM . Boss Boxing he lp Struggling kids through Boxing as well as teaching them Maths and Litera ture!

The mighty B.T.G raised $7500 for Beyond Blue wit h the Mental health day shir t sales!

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Tournament y t o o F y h c B.T.G Tou ates raised for M K 0 12 $ r e v o saw ion! in Construct

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WIN A $200 ETU SHOP VOUCHER + A FRAMED T-SHIRT OF YOUR WINNING DESIGN! WITH 2026 JUST AROUND THE CORNER, WE WANT TO HEAR FROM OUR MEMBERS! WE’RE CALLING ON ALL ETU MEMBERS TO GET CREATIVE AND SEND IN YOUR BEST T-SHIRT DESIGN OR A LOGO CONCEPT THAT CAN GO ON A T-SHIRT FOR OUR 2026 MERCH COLLECTION. WHETHER YOU’RE AN ARTIST, A DOODLER, OR JUST SOMEONE WITH A CLEVER IDEA, THIS IS YOUR CHANCE TO LEAVE YOUR MARK ON ETU HISTORY!

THE PRIZE

$200 ETU SHOP VOUCHER A FRAMED COPY OF THE T-SHIRT WITH YOUR WINNING DESIGN! YOUR T-SHIRT DESIGN FEATURED IN THE 2026 ETU MERCH COLLECTION

LET’S SEE WHAT OUR MEMBERS CAN CREATE, GET DESIGNING COMRADES AND GOOD LUCK!

ENTER NOW Send your design to etumerchcomp2026@gmail.com Please include subject as ‘ETU Merch Comp 2026’ Also leave your full name and contact details! Winner to be decided by Executive early January 2026!

APPRENTICES & TRAINING FOR THE INDUSTRY, BYTHE INDUSTRY. APPRENTICES & TRAINING FOR THE INDUSTRY, BY THE INDUSTRY.

1300 EGROUP OR 1300 347 687 www.electrogroup.com.au 749 MacArthur Avenue Central Pinkenba QLD 4008 1300 EGROUP OR 1300 347 687 www.electrogroup.com.au 749 MacArthur Avenue Central Pinkenba QLD 4008

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