Photos from Operation Energise & Cyclone Alfred response
FROM THE SECRETARY: PETER ONG
ASST SECRETARY: CHRIS LYNCH
ASST SECRETARY: STUEY TRAILL
PRESIDENT: JASON YOUNG
NORTH QLD: LIAM SHARKEY
SUNSHINE COAST: DAN BESSELL
CENTRAL QLD: SHAWN HIGGINS
NORTHERN TERRITORY: STRAWBS
LIFT & GOLD COAST: STEVE BRAVO
TOOWOOMBA: DAMO HEWAT
CONSTRUCTION: LUKE ELLIS
CONSTRUCTION: JIMMY LITTLE
CONSTRUCTION: WENDEL MOLONEY
ESI CONTRACTORS: LENNY
GENERAL TRADE: SCOTT REICHMAN
FIVE FUTURE UNION LEADERS
HOW OUR UNION WORKS
2025 UNION MEETING DATES
MAY DAY & MEMORIAL DAY DATES
PEACE AND SOCIAL JUSTICE COMMITTEE ELECTION
The Official Organ of the COMMUNICATIONS, ELECTRICAL, ELECTRONIC, INFORMATION, ENERGY, POSTAL, PLUMBING AND ALLIED SERVICES UNION of Australia (Electrical Division)
41 Peel Street South Brisbane 4101
P 07 3846 2477
F 07 3844 9851
E info@etu org au 1800 ETU YES (1800 388 937) www etu org au
REGISTERED STATE OFFICE: BRISBANE
SECRETARY: Peter Ong
PRESIDENT: Jason Young
ASST SECRETARY: Stuart Traill
ASST SECRETARY: Chris Lynch
BRISBANE ORGANISERS
Wendel Moloney
Scott Reichmann
Jimmy Little
Luke Ellis
Joel Costa
INDUSTRIAL OFFICERS
Lisa Midson
Margarita Cerrato
Kait Teague
TRAINING OFFICER
Rebecca Keys
MEDIA & RESEARCH
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HONORARY MEMBERS GROUP CHAIRPERSON
Gordon Abbott
GOLD COAST OFFICE
Steve Bravo
Queensland Teachers Union 6/173-175 Varsity Parade, Varsity Lakes QLD 4227
TOOWOOMBA OFFICE
Damian Hewat 19 Russell Street, Toowoomba P 07 4638 9313 F 07 4639 2810
SUNSHINE COAST
Dan Bessell
6/33 Bulcock Street, Caloundra Qld 4551 P 07 5341 8927 F 07 5341 8953
Qld Council of Unions, 41 Brisbane St, Mackay 4740 P 07 4953 4799 F 07 4953 4899
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NORTH QUEENSLAND OFFICE
Liam Sharkey
Lenny Lane 64 Ross River Rd, Mundingburra (PO Box 5800) Townsville 4812 P 07 4728 2443 F 07 4728 2907
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FAR NORTH QUEENSLAND OFFICE
Robert Hill
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from the from the SECRETARY SECRETARY
As this edition of The Electrical Worker goes to print, we find ourselves staring down the barrel of a Peter Dutton-led government and all the fear and loathing, hate peddling and chaos that goes with it We are currently getting a sneak preview in America with the newly-elected Trump administration that fooled over 51% of voters, mostly lower income working people looking for hope, and are instead being sold down the river, with jobs being lost, the price of basic necessities going through the roof, and an ideological tariff war sending America rushing towards a recession
This is not what we need in Australia We are just starting to see some benefits from the policies put in place by the current government after a disastrous decade under an Abbott, Turnbull, and Morrison-led LNP governments.
After the ALP’s undemocratic attack on the trade union movement, the decision was made not to give any funding to the ALP, and not to campaign for them. In saying that, the answer is not Peter Dutton. So, this election, our campaign is Put Dutton Last, It’s Where He Puts You! and we will only be campaigning in the seat of Dickson which of course is Dutton’s seat
ALP’s Undemocratic Attack on the Trade Union Movement
After a 60 Minutes program aired some allegations against certain individuals of the CFMEU Construction Division, without any charges being laid, without anyone having their day in court and without anyone being found guilty of anything, the ALP federal government put through a piece of legislation to have the CFMEU Construction and General division and all its branches put into administration At the time, the secretaries of all branches of the ETU were at national executive in Tasmania, and took the decision to suspend all payments to both the ALP and the ACTU, and redirect these funds to a High Court challenge of the legislation Shortly thereafter, a national council meeting of all divisions of the CEPU was held, and a decision
was taken to disaffiliate from the ACTU, as they were not only supportive but complicit in the move against the CFMEU, and were blind to the far-reaching impacts of this legislation on the broader
On the 9th of December 2024, the ETU held the first ever Unions for Democracy Summit in Canberra, attended by the ETU, AMWU, PLUMBERS, AFULE, MUA, AMIEU, and UFU, representing almost 350 000 workers around Australia Out of that first summit came resolutions to formulate a committee, put together a constitution, and determine how best to advocate for working people going forward The following day, the High Court sat to hear the challenge to the legislation over two days and although our legal team said it went well, we are still waiting on a decision The Summit met again on the 28th of March this year where we voted to endorse the constitution, the committee, and voted up a log of claims to speak to politicians leading up to the federal election We have held two national rallies around the country with around 200 000 workers participating, but there is a clear split between blue-collar and white-collar unions
So, six months into the administration and the introduction of this undemocratic bill introduced by the ALP, we are still yet to see anyone charged with anything Don’t get me wrong, often where there is smoke there is fire, and anyone found doing the wrong thing should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law, that’s what we have a legal system, police force and federal task force to do Not introduce a piece of legislation that has achieved nothing other than take an effective union in the construction industry away from its members, and divide the union movement, the same movement which formed the ALP and has supported it for well over 100 years
Queensland storm season and ETU members into the fray
The start of 25 once again saw weather events smash north Queensland with over 1m of rain between Townsville and Ingham, and brought significant flooding throughout the region, with Ingham being
decimated Our members with EQL were mobilising within hours to begin the task of restoring power, and the ETU deployed Operation Energise to the region to help those less fortunate Then in March, we had the southeast staring down TC Alfred which crossed the coast and wreaked havoc on our electricity network with over 350 000 customers losing supply and over 2300 ETU members from across the state on the frontline restoring power (full story in Youngy and Stuey’s articles on pages 8 to 10).
Biennial Conference
This year is a Biennial Conference year, and the call has been out since February for all members to get initiatives and agenda items in, the cut off for these will be the end of April For those members who aren’t aware, Biennial Conference is our peak decision-making body and meets every two years with around 130 delegates elected every 4 years, representing every region and industry that our union covers Over 3 days, we debate agenda items and initiatives that will then make up the unions strategic document for the next 2 years. This year will see conference debate our affiliation with the ALP, and we will have industry experts for and against speaking to conference as we debate the nuclear energy argument
The incompetence of the Crisafulli LNP State Government
Since coming to power 6 months ago, the Crisafulli-led LNP government has wasted no time undoing a lot of what we had put in place to benefit our members with the previous government. They started by removing our right of entry provisions under health and safety Now regardless of whether there is an imminent risk, a suspected contravention or even serious accident or fatality, your union will not be able to gain access to the workplace unless we have given 24 hours notice
They have put on hold all the planned infrastructure builds including the much needed $9.8 billion health build as well as the energy build, some 5000km of transmission including Copperstring Their reason for this was to review the cost, however the real reason was to get rid of Best Practice Industry Conditions (BPICs), which we negotiated with the previous Labor government, saying they will save 30% by
retendering these projects without BPICs BPICs is a procurement policy that delivered EBA rates of pay and conditions on all government jobs over $100 million It set a level playing field and stopped the race to the bottom with grubby contractors able to win these projects by who could pay their employees the least
All they will do by retendering these projects is add more cost, for example, to retender it costs contractors hundreds of thousands of dollars which they will put on the tender These jobs were tendered 18 months ago, and material costs have increased considerably since then, and then you have the so called ‘30% savings’ by getting rid of BPICs, but as I have explained, BPICs is only our EBAs, so if they think the builders are going to risk using a non-EBA contractor on a $100 mil job, or that the ETU won’t fight to make sure we have an EBA contractor on a $100mill job, then that shows how little they understand this industry.
All they have done is stall projects that need to be built now, they are adding costs not savings, they are losing investor confidence, and losing licensed trades who will go interstate where the work continues. They need to stop playing politics and get on with the build
Decision Making Process
I have received a few emails recently about who decides direction, policy and even some around statements that the ETU puts out We are a democratic union, and we have three main decision structures within our union Executive, State Council and Biennial Conference (we have included an article in this journal, on page 30) these are the main decision-making bodies of our union
In saying that, I have been elected as the State Secretary of our union and we go to elections every four years, and it is my job to run the day to day operation of this union with the advice and counsel of the rest of the leadership team And there are decisions that I will make daily For example, most recently, if a group of members wishes to form a subcommittee, or a statement for the union to put out. Now we are a broad church, with 15 886 members, not everyone is going to agree with every decision I make, but they are not made on a whim, and they are made in the best interest of our union and its members
We are facing a lot of challenges and uncertainty both industrially and politically over the coming months and years, but I believe we are well placed to tackle anything that is thrown at us We have a strong membership base, we have built up a strong financial base, we have over 400 well-educated delegates across all industries, and we have more organisers than we have ever had across Queensland and the Northern Territory, with two more to come on shortly
On a last note, May Day is just around the corner, and I look forward to seeing large rollouts around the state and territory. May Day is always a great day to catch up with mates, enjoy a beer and feed, celebrate the victories and struggles over the years, and it’s a great family day for the kids I look forward to catching up with members on the day
CONTRACTING assistant secretary
Since the last journal, a lot has been happening across the contracting and construction sector of the ETU We’ve seen five months of turmoil and uncertainty following the election of the anti-worker LNP Crisafulli government There is little doubt that the LNP is ideologically opposed to decent wages and safe workplaces, but even beyond that, they have sold out the very people who elected them in regional areas, their handling of the important health and hospitals rebuild, and refurbishment program is nothing short of diabolical
For all the negativity and issues associated with the LNP’s attack on working people, we will get to that in detail, but first I would like to start the year talking about the great things that are happening in our union
Joint Gold Coast/Brisbane Contracting subbranch initiative a massive success
On Wednesday 12 February, we tested a new approach to promoting solidarity within the Contracting sub-branch We organised two simultaneous meetings one on the Gold Coast and the other in Brisbane The committee, the local ETU organiser and I were present at the Gold Coast meeting, while a Zoom session connecting the two locations was held in Brisbane with local organisers present to facilitate. Close to 130 members participated in the joint meeting, marking it as one of the largest meetings in the history of our contracting sub-branch This was a significant achievement! So successful was the meeting we are planning to hold another similar m
Industry news in brief
Queens Wharf build continues despite Star controversy, the final two towers are expected to be completed in 2-3 years on schedule.
Cross River Rail the project that was to be completed by the end of 2024 is still building and as such a new project agreement has been voted up (see Jimmy’s article on page 19)
Blood on LNP’s hands as three workers die following WH&S 24hr union right of entry changes
The Crisafulli government’s decision to enforce the 24-hour notice requirements for union right of entry to sites is costing lives when minutes matter We will not sit back and let this watering down of safety go unchallenged, as always if you are aware of a safety issue on site call us and if it is unsafe, stand your ground and stay in the sheds as is your right under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011
Division 6 Right to cease or direct cessation of unsafe work
83 Definition of cease work under this division
In this division, cease work under this division means (a)to cease, or refuse, to carry out work under section 84; or (b) to cease work on a direction under section 85.
84 Right of worker to cease unsafe work
A worker may cease, or refuse to carry out, work if the worker has a reasonable concern that to carry out the work would expose the worker to a serious risk to the worker’s health or safety, emanating from an immediate or imminent exposure to a hazard.
Ideological LNP leaves wake of destruction rather than construction as hospital builds and refurbs face uncertain future From Cairns in the north to Coomera in the south and almost everywhere in between the LNP ideological hatred of BPIC is causing chaos The biggest impact is in the Queensland Health and Hospitals Plan also known as the Capacity Expansion Program (CEP) which the former Labor government announced in 2022 with the aim to add 2,200 additional beds across Queensland over six years, the plan included new hospitals for regional Queensland in Bundaberg and Toowoomba and major expansions of Townsville, Cairns, Hervey Bay, and Mackay hospitals While in the southeast, works included a new hospital in Coomera, a Cancer Centre in Brisbane and expansions of Redcliffe, Ipswich, Logan, Robina, QEII, Princess Alexandra and Prince Charles hospitals
In just 5 months the LNP has thrown the plans into chaos, contracts have been torn up, workers laid off and builders in limbo
On March 21 health minister Tim Nicholls said the LNP will push on with the 15 major projects however there have been conflicting views from some government MPs, and with the government still waiting for a report from its independent review into the scheme, the realities on the ground are far from clear
As at late March; Cairns, Townsville, Prince Charles were on hold, Toowoomba, Redcliffe, Bundaberg and Coomera were still progressing, but way behind schedule due to funding shortfalls and uncertainty about what the final outcomes will be, while in Mackayan area that voted for the LNP for the first time in 100 years, the timing of their hospital expansion is up in the air While others are still waiting for more details It is a clear case of the LNP’s ideology getting in the way of providing public services Watch this space there will be much more to come on this
supply industry assistant secretary
Once again throughout this storm season, ETU members have stepped up to assist Queenslanders with two significant storm events at either end of the state
In late January-early February, Townsville to Ingham was impacted by flooding following over one metre of rain drenching the area
Hundreds of Energy Queensland members assisted those towns in North Queensland that suffered significant flooding. ETU members, as always, left their own homes and families to help those who needed it Operation Energise was again mobilised providing free electrical checks for the uninsured, pensioners and community groups This ongoing Operation is something that we all should be proud of: ETU members helping those that have the least to get back on their feet is unionism 101 Union members making sacrifices of their own to help those that are less fortunate Thank you to Cam Humphreys who again led this mobilisation which continues the proud tradition of the Humphreys brothers being instrumental in every Operation energise since its inception Thank you to the ongoing support from Powerlink and Perigon
In March the South East of Queensland faced the threat of Tropical Cyclone Alfred crossing the coast A cyclone has not crossed the South east coastline since 1974 with a major flooding risk due to high tides and potential storm surge.
Whilst TC Alfred was a ategory 1 cyclone, it still caused significant network damage across the south easy, with south of Brisbane through to the Gold Coast feeling the full impacts. At the peak of the event, over 350 000 customers lost supply Eight days later, following a mammoth response, power was restored This was the largest power restoration in Queensland’s history with over 2 300 frontline ETU members from across Queensland participating. In the last couple of days of the response, over 1200 members were on the Gold Coast for the last push to restore power to the most damaged areas around the Gold Coast hinterland
These responses take a huge team effort with not only our EQL frontline members but also the contractors, traffic control, pay roll, catering, health and safety, warehouse, laundry, fleet, and comms team, etc. all played critical roles.
To all the family members left at home whilst you all worked tirelessly to restore power supply, thank you for your support
ETU members deserve the praise and recognition coming your way –the vast majority of Queenslanders view you all as heroes On our 110year anniversary it’s worth acknowledging that our industry has a proud history of helping Queenslanders when they need it the most. You have all been part of the largest restoration response ever in Queensland, I trust you ’ re as proud of your efforts as I am
Both responses have showed the LNP government that we are the shining light across the country when it comes to capacity to respond to our increasing storm risk. To have staff available throughout the state from the Torres Straits to the southern and western borders, to respond and assist when needed can only be achieved by maintaining public ownership with the focus on service instead of profits Other privatised states don’t have the staff numbers to cope, as evidences last year with extended outages in Broken Hill, NSW During the Premier’s visit to Greenslopes depot, I made that point to him Hopefully the Ingham response (in his home town) and the south east response has showed them that asset sales will not be tolerated by the Queensland public
From me personally, thanks to you all I continue to be blown away by the sacrifices that members are prepared to make to help others
Stuey Traill
ETU MEMBERS ON THE FRONT LINE OF STORM RECOVERY
PRESIDENT
Rail Issues
Recently there was a review done federally into the Rail Safety Worker classifications and the associated medicals that go along with them For context 95% of ETU members working in the rail industry would require a “Rail Safety Worker” card and then be subject to a Category 3 or 4 medical Nothing too onerous in this, and has been that way for many years. After the review, this has changed. There are a large number of ETU members that are now subject to a new test called the stop bang test which will require a full sleep apnoea test The requirement to be subjected to the stop bang test is based on age, gender and neck circumference. When you meet these, there is an automatic requirement to do a sleep test and then a requirement to buy and use a CPAP machine All this for no other reason than age, gender and neck circumference
There is no requirement for roster reviews or anything else What’s really frustrating for us is that the ETU was NOT consulted on when this review was done There was only one union consulted and they agreed to these changes!!
We are now doing what we do best, fighting these changes, but instead of stopping them coming in we are fighting to remove the changes and that’s always a tougher fight. We are up for it though and we are starting to make some headway but it’s going to be a tough fight as ETU members are already being effected by this
Operation Energise hits Ingham
The ETU activated Operation Energise after the floods destroyed Ingham earlier this year It was a smaller operation with only three tradespeople and one apprentice who went to Ingham as the damage wasn’t massively widespread, but where there was damage, it was badly damaged
As is always the case for the crews that volunteer in Operation Energise, the reception from those who needed help was amazing. The crew come across people sometimes at the lowest point in their lives, as they have literally had to throw their whole lives out and start again When our crews come and do a simple test and install a GPO in the switchboard, and organise the amazing crews in EQL to turn the power on Well, the people are so grateful They want to give these crews anything they can, but it’s a service we offer for free to pensioners, and uninsured people, etc and it’s very rewarding
A big wrap goes out to:
Cameron Humphreys (Powerlink)- an absolute stalwart of Operation Energise Cam has done 11 out of 14 deployments
Chris Freudenberg (Powerlink) – Chris has now completed two deployments
Nathan Newstead (Perigon) – first deployment
Nicholas Daly (Electrogroup) – first deployment
2025: ETU turns 110 2025 marks the 110th birthday of our great union and there is plenty happening We have all our usual EBA and disputes we always have but we are now dealing with a federal government that couldn’t do anymore to lose an election if they tried and Dutton looming in the background wanting to take the role of prime minister We also have a newly elected LNP government in Queensland that is systematically dismantling all the good work we have done to protect jobs, wages and future growth of the electrical industry.
Then we have our biennial conference at the end of May, that will be debating all the important issues members bring up and ultimately will set the direction our union takes over the next two years Given everything that’s going on at the moment, it should be a great conference with plenty of debate
TOWNSVILLE & NORTH QUEENSLAND
We knew 2025 was going to have its challenges with the recent state election result that saw the anti-worker LNP take power in Queensland, and this result has certainly had a negative effect in our region The LNP didn’t waste any time with their first round of attacks, as we saw them water down Queensland’s safety legislation during the dark of night, with the changes tacked onto the back of an Olympics bill put to parliament. They came out and removed BPIC, a document that ensured safety, wages & conditions were set at the gold standard on government-funded jobs, making it illegal for companies to cut workers’ wages and safety standards in a bid to win jobs, then the deputy premier Jarrod Bleijie had the audacity to come out and say ‘ a heat policy is just a union perk’ in the same week a worker died due to heat related illness on a QLD job site
The Townsville hospital project has since been put on hold, we have seen a number of workers get laid off as the LNP announced a ‘60 day review’ of the project, with a re-design & re-tender process to follow Just as this major project for our region was scheduled to be ramping up, it has now been put on the back burner This is devastating for our region, as this project was the first taste of tier 1 EBA construction conditions Townsville would have seen in over a decade Pressure has been mounting on the newly-elected government to spill the beans on their plans for the Townsville hospital, and once I hear confirmation on what those plans are, I will keep everyone updated
The next stage of the Kirwan Police station/academy was also above the $100 million threshold for BPIC which would have been another tier 1 job for our region I have not heard of this stage being awarded yet although I have heard non-EBA companies are sniffing around trying to secure the big government projects after the LNP’s BPIC announcement
The Copperstring camp builds have ramped up with a number of Corfields staff on site, Hughenden camp should be completed over the next couple of months while groundwork at the next camp, Richmond has begun. Corfield’s EBA negotiations have been continuing with our message to the company being a clear one – the Copperstring project needs to be on the state agreement
A $300 million youth detention centre is set to be fast tracked, I am hearing Lendlease, CPB, and Watpac are all in the mix as the main contractor There are also upcoming construction jobs that have been announced out at the barracks I will keep the updates on these projects coming as I hear more information
The Glencore Copper Refinery and Townsville City Council EBA negotiations have now kicked off. We have high ETU density in these workplaces, active delegates and educated members that have endorsed their logs of claims These motivated members are ready & willing to do whatever they need to achieve improved conditions in both these agreements
MAYDAY 2025 - that special time of year for our movement is just around the corner, and this year is an extra special one for the mighty ETU as we celebrate our 110 year anniversary As usual, we will be having an event down at Strand Park I encourage all members and their families to come down and celebrate with us, it is always a great family day out. The ETU will also be looking to take out the Tug-O-War title for the third year in a row, so make sure you have your Weetbix that morning!
As always, if you have any questions about the above or need any assistance, please feel free to contact me directly
In unity
Liam Sharkey
It has been a big few months in CQ on the industrial front with ET members securing some huge wins Both Gladstone Port Corpora (GPC) and NRG ETU members have spent some time on the side road with Scabby The Rat in a bid to win improved conditions As GPC EBA is still with the new LNP government for approval, I’ll sav update until the next issue
NRG Power Station, Gladstone
The recent EBA at Gladstone Power Station held significant impo to ETU members on two main fronts:
a) NRG employees were being paid around 20% less than othe employees in the Generation industry And, b) Gladstone Power station is currently scheduled for closure in near future and redundancy provisions were insufficient
After 4-5 months of protracted negotiations, ETU members at NRG Power Station in Gladstone filed with the FWC for a protected action ballot due to the company continually going round and round in circles on the same unresolved issues that members wanted fixed in their workplace For numerous SBU bargaining meetings the company simply replied that they had “ no mandate” from their multinational masters based overseas to discuss let alone agree to any of their employees claims
NRG is simply an operating company that operates the power station on behalf of its foreign masters and has a long history of lazy negotiating They are renowned for lack of genuine bargaining and scurrying off to the Fair Work Commission to apply for Commissioner Assisted Bargaining under Section 240 of the Fair Work Act. NRG were certainly true to form and as expected, when ETU members commenced protected industrial actions, NRG did exactly that, however, for one reason or another the Commissioner wasn’t that interested in doing their dirty work for them ETU members voted 100% in favor of every ban and stoppage on the ballot in a final attempt to get some movement from NRG prior to commencing protected industrial actions to no avail
NRG then started the fear campaign of sending out various company communications and misinformation explaining pay deductions and consequences for industrial actions taken by members. Members remained unit d i t ki th i ti dl f th t f om supervisors a n of winding unit entually gained the a
Enter Scabby the Rat and the Texan
NRG flew out one of their heavy hitters from Texas who shortly after introducing himself threatened to close down the power station and lock out workers indefinitely. This did not go down well with delegates and members who had endured months of “ no mandate, no mandate” from the NRG negotiating team 200 or so members and supporters wheeled out the workers champion Scabby the Rat to welcome the Texan to work the next morning as they set up camp across the road from the power station during a site-wide 1 hour stoppage As usual,
Scabby came through for the workers and NRG changed their tune pretty quickly and wanted to sit down and get a deal done after months of stalling
Funnily enough, the Texan used documents compiled by an ETU delegate to justify claims to other owners in the syndicate and get a deal over the line After enduring a stalemate for months with the only offer from NRG being a 4.5, 4, 3.5, 3.5% increase and a solid no to all other claims, through solidarity and industrial action ETU members were able to secure the following:
9 5, 4, 4, 4% increase to salary with CPI protection clause 2% above SGL for superannuation
An increase in redundancy to 20 weeks minimum
All overtime straight to double time, removing time and a half
$5K indexed incentive payment
Availability / Duty allowance increased to $150 daily indexed
Payment for all bans used during protected industrial action
A big shout out and thank you on behalf of all NRG ETU members to ETU delegates Mitch Brown, Jeffrey Dodds, Robbie Somerfield and Richie O’Brien for all of their tireless work during the campaign Also a huge thanks to the ETU industrial/ legal team for their support and advice to members
Shawn Higgins
central central queensland queensland
Northern territory
It’s been a pretty flat out start to the new year, with a bit going on in the NT A lot of EA bargaining, a heap of general member issues and plenty of work around the place. We are seeing Darwin LNG taking on a fair few of our members as they undertake a reconfiguration of the plant out there in preparation for new gas supplies There’s plenty going on in the defence space and generally in industry. We are continuing the momentum with our contracting EA, but still a lot more organising to do with this
Groote Eylandt GEMCO Enterprise Agreement
With further progress being made in bargaining, we came to a bit of a head before Christmas and another bargaining meeting was held midFebruary This meeting saw us at an impasse with GEMCO walking out with no offer on the table. An offer was received late February with GEMCO putting the agreement out to vote I was over on Groote Eylandt early March where the mood was strong for a NO vote, and for us to get back to the table to continue negotiations. A ballot was held over the weekend of 8-10 March with a result of a 92% NO vote (voter turnout was at 96%) which was a great result and gives us a good mandate to get back to working for a better deal
Monadelphous Inpex Onshore Enterprise Agreement
We’re getting closer with the Mono’s agreement, the general terms are looking pretty good, and at the time of writing we ’ re getting to the pointy end of the money discussions. We have a strong workforce out there who are keen to get a decent outcome with a good work/life balance and a deal that is attractive to local employment Discussions continue and all options are on the table. I’d expect we’ll have a lot more to report in the next issue
McArthur River Mine (Glencore) Enterprise Agreement
After well over 12 months of bargaining, we have reached an inprincipal agreement with the MRM proposed EA, some decent pay increases (compared to where they were) and a full classification restructure have been some of the main improvements With low union density out there, this has been a challenging process. We only have a handful of sparkies employed by MRM, most of the electrical trades work for contractors who are arguably on much better deals The agreement will go out to vote in the coming weeks and we’d expect it will get up
All unions need to do more work out at this mine to keep improving the conditions for future agreements
Amentum Pine Gap Enterprise Agreement
After a couple of months of trying to get Amentum back to the table a meeting has just been held to continue bargaining Issues are being worked through, and we’d expect to be getting somewhere close after another couple of meetings
NT Public Sector General Enterprise Agreement
The NTPS General EA discussions have kicked off This agreement covers about 13,000 public Sector workers in the NT and many outcomes achieved in this process flow onto our PowerWater and Territory Generation EAs, so it’s important we are a part of it There is a huge list of claims from across the different unions representing across different agencies, so it will be the usual slog The new NT government have set the wages policy at 3%, so at least that’s a better start than the previous governments wage freeze!
PowerWater
We are seeing restructures occurring around different areas of PowerWater and have been involved in ensuring appropriate consultation is being undertaken There is rumour of more to come in some areas which we will be keeping an eye on
The sad thing about all this is that while management are focusing on moving chairs around the office’s, our members who are the boots on the ground are not receiving the support that they need PowerWater are struggling to recruit to front line positions, and we need a big rethink on what its going to take to attract and retain tradespeople in the organisation
We’ll continue to advocate on behalf of our members to try and get some long-term solutions implemented
IMPORTANT INFORMATION! CLAIMS AND KEEPING YOUR DETAILS UP TO DATE
If you are or have been registered with NT Build (portable long service leave scheme for construction workers), it is important that you:
• regularly update your contact details if they have changed (so NT Build can contact you); and
• check to see if you are entitled to make a long service leave benefit claim by contacting NT Build. This includes workers who:
• are no longer registered under the NT Build Scheme but are currently working in construction interstate,
• have left the construction industry and are no longer registered under the NT Build Scheme
You may be eligible to claim an entitlement if you have left the industry permanently (or no longer working on the tools) depending on your length of service in the construction industry
However this entitlement CAN ONLY be claimed within 4 years from the date of your deregistration Once the 4 years has lapsed, you will not be entitled to make a claim
For more information, or to make an enquiry, contact NT Build on 1300 795 855 or by email to info@ntbuild com au
lifts & gold coast
Gold Coast
Firstly, I want to thank our members working for Energex, Ergon Energy, Gold Coast City Council, Logan City Council, and contractors for working through testing times during and after Cyclone Alfred Thanks to all the members who have been cleaning up and restoring power to the community, you always stand up when the community needs you And thanks for all the support from workers in the regions who all came down to help Nothing makes me prouder than having ETU members leading from the front, and working together to get things back on track.
Construction
Work on the Gold Coast in construction is ongoing, I have 139 projects in planning stages between Beenleigh and the southern end of the coast These projects, if they all go ahead, total $25 billion of work Even if half of this work is delivered on schedule, we will start to see an increase of job opportunities on the Gold Coast Over the next 6 months, work will be steady but as all these projects slowly come online, this will offer opportunities for members to maintain consistent work
Here’s a list of projects below which are currently underway:
• Manta Ray – SDF
• Coast – Perigon.
• Royal – SDF
• Chevron One – SDF
• RDX Lumina – SDF.
• Coomera Hospital – HV Nilsen, Main Electrical / TBC late march
Our Gold Coast sub branch has outgrown the Varsity Lakes office, we have seen numbers now maintaining anywhere between 80 and 140 active members across the Gold Coast Sub branch meetings continue to be held at the Mermaid Beach Bowls Club, and members will receive notification about these meetings every three months
The local Youth Crew meetings are also bringing in great numbers, with members on the Gold Coast active and committed to educating all members across the construction industry
I want to thank all the delegates and active members on the Gold Coast – you are what’s helping drive change, by educating members, staying active, and always asking if you can do more We will continue to grow, and the future looks bright
Ongoing EBAs
Logan City Council members are well underpaid, and we will be aiming to achieve a decent wage increase and a 36-hour week This is now starting to become a major claim in all government industries Work-life balance is very important and needs to be taken seriously.
The Carlton & United Brewery EBA negotiation has also kicked off We are up to our second meeting, and starting to filter through the log of claims Wage increases will be the main focus, and an increase to superannuation. We will be ensuring SGL do not swallow up increases that have been fought for over the past years, and maintain an increase above SGL
Rocky Point Sugar Mill EBA - YOU will be NEXT
Lift Industry update
Lift agreements are now well underway with KONE across the line with a 18 5% wage increases, all overtime at double time, income protection (which has been a major addition to agreements), increased levels around multi-storey allowance, site allowances, travel/fares, and increased super This wasn’t just handed to members, this was fought for and won with 8 weeks on the grass
The Schindler EBA achieved an 18% wage increase, all overtime at double time, income protection, increased multi-storey allowances, site allowances, travel/fares, and sub-contractor clause Members have also had to fight for and win with 17 days on the grass.
The TK Elevators EBA is being negotiated as this goes to print It is ongoing, and we will likely have an offer on the table for members after the next negotiation meeting
OTIS members, you are next cab off the rank Log of Claims meetings have taken place at the time of writing It’s important to remember what has been fought for and WON due to members supporting each other while on the grass
I urge everyone to be active and lead from the front. After the last EBA negotiation with OTIS members, you have done just that, achieving an increase through the back end of testing times after the COVID pandemic
LIFTRONIC / ALIMAK EBA negotiations will soon be commencing, and meetings will also start taking place You will receive communications soon, but it is time to start having the conversations in your workplaces as well
REMEMBER… IF YOU DON’T FIGHT YOU LOSE!
Steve Bravo
Ergon south west meetings
Once again, I had the pleasure to travel to south west Ergon Depots to hold meetings with Ergon ETU members
We held meetings at Dalby, Chinchilla, Roma, Charleville, Cunnamulla and St George depots (with Tara, Wandoan and Quilpie members attending)
Discussions were held on many topics affecting Ergon ETU members, in particular, the impacts on regional depots and resourcing due to the LNP forming government
More than ever, we are seeing more frequent weather events putting strain on regional resources and the impact it is having on our members Like always, the ETU continues to advocate for the supply industry to ensure our regional members have sufficient access to resources to respond in a safe and timely manner and continue to maintain a safe network for all of Queensland
Toowoomba, Millmerran, Warwick and Stanthorpe depot meetings had to be postponed due to the impending cyclone, and will be rescheduled for a later date
Thank you to all our Energy Queensland members who continue to step up in times of need when our communities need it the most!
Powertech
Powertech management once again showed their employees no respect by trying to ram a sub-standard baseline Enterprise Agreement to a vote
Strike two to Powertech as the ETU members continue to stand strong by voting no for the second time to Powertech’s shithouse offer Back to the bargaining table we go, maybe Powertech management might have gotten the hint that we will continue to fight for a fair and reasonable outcome for our members and the industry
To all the Powertech members, thank you for continuing to stand strong
IF YOU DON’T FIGHT, YOU LOSE!
Gatton Prison
Main construction works are all but completed with only a handful of ETU members remaining onsite to complete final works, commissioning and defect works. There were over 200 ETU members on the project at the height of construction Thank you for your continued support A special thanks to our delegates and HSRs for continuing to uphold ETU values for all onsite. A massive thanks to delegates Ben Willis, Josh Rampton, Leon Dwyer, Jay Levitt and 100% Des Beavis
Toowoomba Hospital
Ergon apprentice meeting Toowoomba
Many thanks to CBUS Coordinator Ricky Luke and Ergon Apprentice Coordinator Justin Stehn for hosting a BBQ and catch up with Energy Queensland apprentices at the Toowoomba depot It was great opportunity to meet and chat with the next generation of supply industry superstars
Works at Toowoomba Hospital are continuing slowly with the main electrical package still to be released The LNP continue to drip feed funding for initial works The LNP continue to use government projects as a political point scoring opportunity while the project gets further behind.
Everyone in the region agrees that the hospital is critical for Toowoomba, and yet we are continually kept in the dark on when a decision on the main package will be made I will continue to have meetings with John Holland for updates
Toowoomba sub branch
The next Toowoomba sub branch will be held at 5 30pm on Monday the 23rd of June at Toowoomba Trades Hall, 19a Russell St Toowoomba It is a great opportunity for industry updates and to meet ETU members from different industries.
Damian Hewat
toowoomba toowoomba
& south west & south west
construction
Government works
While it’s been a slow start to the year across the board in relation to works ramping up, my patch hasn’t seen as much of an impact thus far as a result of the change in government as other regions have. All of the planned government health works that were kicking off under the previous government have continued as planned with minimal impact to scope These include Ipswich Hospital, Logan Hospital, QEII Hospital and Springfield Hospital There’s also works commencing currently on decent sized hospital precinct carparks at both Ipswich and Logan hospitals which should keep a number of members in work for a couple of years
MATES fundraising run
ETU member and Ipswich Hospital delegate Mikey Coe has pulled together an ETU team for the 10km race at the Gold Coast marathon in July. The ETU team is running for a cause, raising funds for MATES in Construction As this journal goes to print, $3000 has already been raised by members for MATES
The Logan portion of the Logan & Gold Coast Faster Rail project now has construction fences up at the Loganlea portion of the project with tenders for electrical works set to be finalised in coming weeks. At this stage, the Logan Faster Rail project encompasses station upgrades for Kuraby, Woodridge, Kingston, Bethania, Eden’s Landing, Holmview and Beenleigh and a station relocation for Loganlea, along with relocation of other rail infrastructure and additional station parking facilities across the board
For members local to the southern Logan area, stage 1 of Holmview (Bahrs Scrub) Primary School is currently out to tender and is sitting at a project value of $174 51 million, so that will be one to watch Works at Ripley Satellite Hospital and Wacol Remand Centre are winding up, and I’d like to recognise the members and delegates on those jobs for sticking together through the various challenges that were encountered on the job and as always, coming away with the wins as a result.
Well done comrades!
Current EA negotiations
There are quite a few EA negotiations currently ongoing or commencing soon across the patch, including JBS Primo, Century Yuasa, CEG, CV Services, UGL maintenance workers at University of Queensland, St Lucia, and Capral.
“The idea was to bring a team together to do something that gets us outside and involves taking part in some healthy physical activity,” says Mikey “And of course, it’s great to be able to raise some funds for a good cause while getting out there training for the 10k and completing the race on the day. MATES is a vital organisation in our industry, and I’m sure I speak for the whole team when I say it’s a very worthy cause to be running for.”
Mikey has set up a group chat for the 30-odd members who will run the 10k on Saturday 5 July, which runners use as a way to stay accountable with their training, as well as foster some healthy competition Some members took part in a 5km park run early this year as part of their training for the 10k
There have been a few suicides in the industry in 2025 already, which highlights the importance of MATES more than ever If you haven’t already, please consider making a donation to MATES and supporting the team completing the 10k later this year
There’s also still time to join the team running the 10k on Saturday 5 July. Contact Mikey on 0452 645 501 for info on how to sign up as a runner in the ETU team.
This year has started full steam ahead, with negotiations for new agreements happening across all my areas of coverage
We have just finished Wormald Fire SEQ negotiations with the workforce voting up a 3-year agreement achieving 5%, 5%, 5% increases This was only made possible by all employees being members, sticking together and voting up a protected action ballot 100%.
Wormald management had locked in on their position until the results of the ballot were presented. Within days of the result, they came back to the table with a deal the workforce could swallow and rightly deserve
Congratulations to the members of Wormald Fire SEQ.
Chubb Fire SEQ negotiations have also kicked off To date, we have had two meetings with management, and I’m happy with the direction things are heading. I would suggest, moving forward, the members at Chubb will be locked in and looking to achieve the same results, if not better than their comrades at Wormald
We have finally got Coastal Fire on an ETU EBA in the contracting space This will stop some of the undercutting that we constantly see in the fire contracting/construction space and should have a big impact on the Gold Coast particularly
If you work in the fire contracting industry and are currently not working under an ETU EBA, please reach out to your local organiser
Out at Ampol refinery, I have been negotiating the renewal of the maintenance EBA with Wood Group These negotiations have been going on for months now, with the negotiations stalling around wage increases, an increase to on-call allowance, and the membership wanting all overtime to be paid at double rates, alongside the rest of the contracting industry. Due to this, we have just applied to take protected action with Wood This is due to commence at the end of April if we don’t come to an agreement
Cross River Rail EBAs have begun renewals with all 19 sub-contractors, with UGL being the first to vote on 27 March This will lock in 5% annual increases in wages, along with some other perks for the members working on this project Considering the 13 weeks of protected action the CFMEU went through last year to complete their agreement, and our membership not crossing picket lines due to health and safety and taking a big hit in their back pocket due to this: our renewals of the project agreement is heading in the right direction to mitigate an industrial dispute coming to a head on the project
The rest of the construction space is still a little slow at the start of the year with some of the bigger jobs yet to ramp up I constantly get asked about the future fuels project out at Ampol refinery, with Kent delivering the build This is one job I do not recommend members work at if it can be avoided It’s a project that is 7Km from the CBD, offering wages and conditions reflective of the early 2000s, with a litany of safety issues that seem to grow and grow
If you work on this project, I encourage you to send any safety issues to myself immediately
Currently to date, Prince Charles Hospital upgrade at Chermside, and Redcliffe hospital upgrade are on hold until the state government’s costing review is completed Fingers crossed both these projects go ahead Locals on the north side are screaming for the employment opportunities both these projects will deliver
Jimmy Little
It’s been a chaotic start to the year with weather but also doubt in the industry about hospitals and Olympic games construction programs
This work having flowed as originally programmed would have enabled continuity for many of our members and EBA companies, but unfortunately there’ll be a potential lull for many for a period, hopefully picking up again late in the second quarter of the year.
I’m currently negotiating agreements with DM Roads, and UGL Busways which decent initial offers on the table, though with DM Roads in particular, still short of the log of claims
Negotiations with Programmed are ongoing and looking promising
Queen’s Wharf is finally ending though Towers 5 & 6 are slowing moving with Appselec on the main electrical package
Dexus is also a slow mover, with Klenner Murphy as the electrical contractor
There’s a large amount of work out at the airport across multiple builders and our main subbies on site are Fredon, Bluestar, FIP, Programmed among others
The PA hospital has LCE
The start to this year has been challenging for many in the industry and I want everyone to know that if you or a workmate is struggling on a personal level that there is help out there and you don’t have to go it alone
Wendel Moloney
construction construction
Cyclone Alfred
As I write this, it has been just a few days since Tropical Cyclone Alfred hit South East Queensland All across Queensland, distribution contractors were called in to assist Energex and Ergon workers with clean up and power restoration. I’ve heard a lot of very positive feedback about having contractors and Energex/Ergon working side by side to get the job done, and get the power back on in our communities. A shoutout to all ETU members who took part in the clean up and power restoration that was needed in the wake of the cyclone It’s always a good day to be ETU, and particularly during extreme weather events, when our members are hard at work making a huge difference in the lives of hard-hit communities
Distribution Contractors’ EBAs
We are also still working on Downer, they are currently refusing to pay fair wages and conditions to workers in their transmission sector. Transmission line construction members have had enough and are taking the fight to these multinational companies Members working at both companies are currently going through the process of endorsing protected industrial action and will be taking action against the companies shortly
It is a disgrace that these tier 1 companies have been exposed time and time again on safety and their undermining of wages and conditions, yet the ETU are fighting the fight with the members while Powerlink are sitting back allowing this to unfold right under their nose The fight continues and I hope to have a positive update on these negotiations for the next journal
The Enterprise Bargaining Agreements (EBAs) for all distribution contractors in the Electricity Supply space are now certified. A huge thank you goes to all members and delegates who played a part in getting these EBAs up Well done comrades!
Transmission Contractors’ EBAs
It’s been a battle with two of the main players in the Transmission space
We finally have UGL on board as far as substations go This was a long battle, so a huge thank you to the members in this space However, the company is currently refusing to pass on the wages and conditions to transmission line construction workers.
aerospace & aerospace & manufacturing manufacturing general trade general trade
ETU members have been making up some good ground in these industries over the last little while. The hallmarks of these industries is the demand for post-trade skills either through the acquisition of onthe-job experience or through formal qualifications
The reality is that there are fewer and fewer tradies with these skills available For years the manufacturing industry has been reluctant to engage apprentices This has resulted in a lack of tradesmen that come out of their apprenticeship with this training or experience already under their belt. At the same time these kinds of jobs have been considered ‘fixed industry’ due to a general lack of turn over, or members only moving between manufacturing sites
The upshot of those 2 factors has seen an aging workforce that is now looking at retirement and no new workers being trained with the skills these companies need from their tradies. In this circumstance we have been fairly successful at increasing wages and conditions for our members in this industry
However, this success is not universal, in factories where the ETU, or unions more generally, there are still instances or workers being woefully undervalued in their pay and conditions
In the current environment a claim for an entry level tradesperson to be paid $50/hr is not excessive, many places already pay significantly more than this, however given the post trade skills our members in this industry possess, most trades are classified at higher than the entry level There is no question that maintenance employees in this industry work at a C6 level of skill That should be paid at 25% above the entry level rates according to the award
Even with some good outcomes we are still not seeing these levels of remuneration across the whole industry, sometimes this is because workers are not organised and have no-one in their corner when it comes time to negotiate, sometimes it is because the maintenance department is the smallest cohort of workers on the site, and we get rolled by other workers
The answer to these issues is in organising in the environment that we find ourselves in We generally have a good working relationship with other unions and can get all workers to hold up so that everyone is paid what they are worth
However, one of the biggest barriers to these outcomes is the maintenance workforce itself undervaluing their trade and skills The hours, the skills, the conditions expected of factory maintenance workers, along with the simple fact of the skills shortage, mean that we are worth at least these rates, we need to be taking the fight up to our employers to be recognised for the skills and vital work we perform in this industry and demand the highest level of pay and conditions No employer is ever going to pay any more than they have to, so it is up to us to fight for these outcomes, whether you work in a small factory or for a national or multinational corporation, it’s time to recognise your worth and organise to win!
Government
We are in the process of kicking off negotiations with QBuild, QHealth, and RoadTek, members are working through claims for this round of negotiation This is the first time many members will have negotiated with an LNP government and some of the previous levers that we could rely on to deliver better outcomes are not available this time around However, as above we take on multi-national corporations everyday and deliver outcomes for our members and negotiating with a government is no different We know how to achieve our claims; it is a slightly different environment to ‘normal’ negotiations, but all the underlying principles are the same If we stand united as ETU members and with our comrades in the other BEMS unions then we will come away with agreements that we can be proud of. As with other maintenance trades government tradies are valued below what they are truly worth
There are some other conditions that make up for a slightly lower pay rate but not to the extent we see in these departments Pushing our entry rate to $50/hr at once in governement is likely unachievable, but equally the LNP government wages policy of 3%, 2 5% and 2 5% for a three-year agreement is not going to get the job done.
We need to recognise the vital role we play in keeping hospitals running, transport systems working and schools and public house functional and make the government come to the party with wages and conditions that remunerate members accordingly
We will have a fight on our hands to get a decent outcome, but ETU members have shown they are up for that fight and we will do it all again if that’s what it takes
Scott Reichman
Five future union
Apprentice conference – powerful example of diversity of opinion, collective strength and union power.
Attending her first ETU conference, 25-year-old Abi Moulder wasn’t sure what to expect, but once she walked through the doors, she knew she was among comrades. Abi, a fourth-year Electrical Fitter
Mechanic apprentice at Whitehaven Coal’s Blackwater Mine in Central Queensland took up the electrical trade in 2021 because she was excited about the opportunities it provides in exploring both new and old concepts.
After working as a barista in the hospitality industry for a few years after leaving school, Abi made the decision to change tack and take on the new and exciting challenge “I chose a career in electrical work because I enjoy the many pathways it offers along with the ongoing constant need for learning and the ability to explore new concepts surrounding the trade ”
Family and union gems set Abi on the right path
With no obvious union influences within her family, it was the workplace where she learned about unions and the ETU, these positive interactions led her to joining the ETU as a first-year apprentice in 2021
“After taking up my apprenticeship, and after being introduced to unionism by the tradesmen on site, I joined the ETU because I like its values ”
Abi reckons her nana Pearl is the biggest influence in her journey towards becoming a qualified electrician “My nana was the biggest influence in my career, because she was my biggest supporter and my rock through everything and continuing to make her proud is one of my main driving forces in my career. ”
“The biggest influences in my ETU journey are the tradesmen that took the time out of their day to train me through my apprenticeship ”
Conference highlights the power of diversity, collectivism and networking
As mentioned above the 2024 apprentice conference was Abi’s first So, what was she expecting to learn, and what did she enjoy the most?
“I wasn’t too sure what I was walking into when attending the conference, but I left with a wider perspective on events happening throughout the industry I enjoyed the diversity within the group and giving everyone the chance to share their opinion ”
This ability to share a diversity of opinions in a safe place where everyone ’ s opinion is valued leads into Abi’s proudest union moment so far
“Watching apprentices join together to come up with solutions to relevant issues within their workplaces is my proudest union moment so far ”
Abi reckons some of the key things she has learned at conference can be implemented straight away in her workplace
“I can definitely use some of the new skills straight away, like how to express my opinion and how to approach situations from different angles ”
When asked what being ETU meant to Abi, it’s clear to see how her values align with ETU values.
“Being ETU means having security and having the opportunity to help others when they’re in need.”
When she’s not working hard to secure her future Abi enjoys some rewarding time being creative and socialising
“In my spare time I enjoy creating leather knife pouches and belts and spending time with friends and family ”
Abi represents the modern ETU member, making decisions based on industry opportunities and pathways, who join the ETU because of its values and their firsthand experiences in the workplace Abi’s commitment to paying it forward through helping others is a fantastic reflection of our union’s commitment to education and empowerment.
abi
With energy, cultural strength and enthusiasm to burn, Laetitia Lett is ready to soar
to new heights
For 24-year-old 3rd year electrical apprentice Laetitia Lett the drive to become a qualified electrician burns brightly But it wasn’t until she sampled a range of occupations and opportunities that she knew just how bright it was
Originally from NSW’s Central Coast before moving to Western Sydney in the early 2010’s the young energetic, hands-on Laetitia was keen to sample a range of jobs before making a final decision on her future
“I started life in the central coast NSW before moving to Western Sydney where I spent my teenage years. Whilst in Sydney as a young adult I worked and trained in all sorts of professions, testing the waters as I went ”
“I am a hands-on girl so I needed a profession that could match my energy I have a background in forensic crime scene cleaning, retail, personal training, and housekeeping I even trained to become a pilot while completing high school ”
Strong, proud, Indigenous woman
The proud Noongar and Yamaji woman, with deep-rooted heritage in Western Australia, Laetitia takes great pride in showcasing her culture to the world. She leverages her cultural strengths to dismantle barriers and challenge stereotypes at work and beyond As highlighted by her representation in the international sports arena through Oz-Tag (See section below)
“My Aboriginality is a large part of my identity; it is something I am proud to showcase to the world I view life through an "Indigenous" lens I am conscious of caring for country and I claim stewardship over my responsibilities to my land and people, doing all I can in everyday life to uphold those values ”
Have energy will travel – Queensland here we come
Laetitia's final role in Sydney was with Stowe Electrical where she performed in an administrative role for 18 months Driven by enthusiasm and determination, she made the transformative decision to relocate to Queensland
“In August 2022, unsure where my professional and personal life would go, I decided to make a life-changing decision and move to Queensland In November of that same year, I was offered the opportunity to start an electrical apprenticeship with Stowe, it was nerve-racking at first but ultimately has become the most rewarding opportunity to date.”
Why the electrical trade?
Given all the different/ interesting jobs Laetitia has sampled, why did she choose the electrical trade?
“I feel the electrical trade is so dynamic and ever-changing As a hands-on girl, I like that every day is a new mental and physical challenge to overcome. I like that it keeps me on my feet, and I am given the opportunity to try, build, and create new components and aspects in my trade I have met amazing people and have had great exposure to most stages in construction which I feel adds to the diversity of this trade as well as expands my versatility on site.”
ETU journey begins
In a familiar scenario Laetitia with no history of unionism in her family, began her union journey onsite through being educated by union delegates and representatives Her example like so many others, highlights the importance of having well trained ETU delegates on every site!
“I first learned about the ETU through my job I was taught about the ETU at the beginning of my apprenticeship, but it wasn't until I started working at the New Performing Arts Venue (NPAV) that I was taught enough that I felt moved to join the movement. HSR and ETU delegate Luke Palmer was the first person to teach me about the ETU and all the amazing benefits of being a member, I then did my research, I joined not long after having that conversation with Luke in early 2024.”
“I joined the ETU because it gave me a voice in a workplace where I might otherwise not have the strongest or loudest, as a singular body I am an apprentice, and I am a woman, I felt called to be protected by the advocacy but also advocate as well I also value safety, especially in the workplace I was impressed by the high standards of safety; that's a value that resonates with me I place great importance on safety so much so that I have been awarded on multiple occasions throughout my time at the NPAV ”
“The values of the ETU align perfectly with my own ”
“The ETU gives me a voice and the strength and skills to advocate for myself and others.”
Biggest influence on your career/ ETU journey
“I walked into the construction industry with no prior exposure, I do not have any family members or friends that were in construction let alone the electrical trade so I would say I don't have a big influence on my career As mentioned, Luke Palmer, HSR and ETU delegate was the biggest influence on my ETU He inspired me to do my own research and join the union ” While Laetitia is not currently an elected ETU delegate, she is interested in a role if the opportunity arises in the future
Laetitia
Conference left Laetitia feeling, connected, respected, heard and empowered
The 2024 apprentice conference was Laetitia’s first foray into ETU conferences, and while she had no expectations, she liked what she saw, heard and felt “I didn't have any expectations before being invited to the conference This was my first conference so instead of walking in with expectations, I walked in with an open mind to soak in as much information as possible and add value to the chat when able. I was purely excited to be invited and sitting amongst like-minded people ”
Laetitia hopes the first conference is the catalyst for her to attend more in the future “Attending the conference was an awesome opportunity, one that I hope I get the chance to experience again I liked listening to the guest speakers, the content of their speech, and how it related to me as an up-and-coming tradeswoman.”
“I also loved hearing from other apprentices in different fields of construction, their experiences where relatable and added value to the conversation. I also enjoyed hearing from other female apprentices I am one of four females in a trade on my site, none of whom are electricians, so it was great to see the other females ” For Laetitia, the conference was a continuation of her union education, while also providing invaluable connections and opportunities to further a female perspective
“As this was my first conference my level of knowledge about the ETU was very limited, so I walked into the conference conscious to keep my mind open and retain as much info as possible Since the conference I feel confident in knowing the ins and outs of the ETU; how the ETU works in favour of its members and the roles we can all play within the ETU and our job sites.”
“I feel I've been well connected to people within the industry and those connections are valuable to me, particularly meeting the " women ' s committee". I was excited to hear there was a " women ’ s committee", I feel seen and represented in this space I was also given the opportunity to have a second meeting with this committee to spark change for woman in our industry and it was the best experience ”
What being ETU means to Laetitia Laetitia's answer to the timeless question we pose to all our interviewees what does being part of ETU mean to you? reflects the rich diversity of our membership. Her response highlights the importance of our collective values, such as inclusion, collectivism, and respect, alongside our unwavering demands for safety and fairness “For me being in the ETU means that I am not alone, I am heard, I am seen, and I am represented. It means I have a voice, 60 000 strong, in fact.”
“I am a part of a community that ensures I am not seen as a commodity in my field but as a person in situations, where injustice may arise It's easy to be perceived as a worker rather than a human, furthermore as merely a " woman " in a male-dominated industry but as a member I feel a high level of safety, equality, and security, I feel valued and seen. It means that I am surrounded by like-minded people It means that I know my workplace will be safe and that I will go home safely at the end of every day ”
While Laetitia’s ETU journey is in its infancy, she did make the front page of this publication late last year along with fellow attendees, an accomplishment she is very proud of
“My proudest union moment so far has to be when I was featured on the front cover of "The Electrical Worker Journal Vol 107" in November last year, 2024 The image was of some of the attendees of the apprentice conference It came as a shock to receive the journal in
the mail, just to open the envelope to see my face, to say I felt so incredibly proud and honoured is an understatement The corresponding article described me as a "staunch ETU member leading the way for the future of our union". I felt so honoured to be featured and described as such That would be my proudest moment so far ”
Outside of work
“I am a family woman first and foremost I love to spend time with my family, my partner Nikita Hohepa, 23, my stepchildren, Eli, 5, and Ezekiel, 3, and our pets I value family time so if we aren’t at home watching a movie then we ' re out and about getting amongst nature by going on a hike ”
“I am also quite active, I regularly pick a new sport to try and enjoy; last year it was Rugby League where my team made runner-up in our division, the year prior I was representing Indigenous Australians in the international Oz-Tag World Cup as well as playing smaller competitions representing Metro North and Queensland This year I endeavour to return to my roots of Boxing, taking that up as a hobby. I also love to jam Call of Duty and work out “
Oz-Tag
What is Oz-Tag?
“Oz tag is a non-tackling version of rugby league There are 8 players from each team and each player has velcro tags attached to their hips, to "tag"/"tackle" an opponent you need to remove one or both tags. To be great in Oz-tag you need to be agile and able to read the game, it involves moving your body in a way where you "outrun" or "outmanoeuvre" your opponents ”
Representing Indigenous women and taking on the world
Laetitia's Oz-Tag experience began in Sydney during her high school years, where it served simply as a fun pastime during sports classes and lunch breaks However, everything changed when she moved to Queensland, where the sport became much more competitive and prestigious It wasn't long before Laetitia's dedication and talent were acknowledged with selections for representative teams
“I was given an amazing opportunity to participate in the Indigenous tournament 'battle of the nations' where I was chosen to represent in the Queensland Indigenous Open Women's team From there I played in a regional competition representing North Metro Brisbane (Wavell Heights).
But higher honours beckoned, and Laetitia entered the international stage “My most accomplished feat was representing the Australian Indigenous Open Women's Team in Limerick, Ireland for the week-long Oz-Tag World Cup Tournament in 2023 ”
“To say I was proud is an understatement Each time I stepped onto the field, I was reminded that I am not just competing for myself, but for my people, my community, and the generations who have come before me It is a powerful way to challenge stereotypes, break barriers, and show the world that Indigenous people are not only survivors, but thrivers in all aspects of life.”
Laetitia’s journey is one of determination, dedication, cultural strength, and balance; with these qualities, there are no limits to what she can achieve.
Her experience at her first conference promises a bright future and stands as a testament to the outstanding efforts being made to ensure our union not only speaks its values but truly embodies them as well. Talking the Talk and Walking the Walk.
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Scaling new heights – apprentice liney Shayote Stinten takes on delegate duties
At 24, Shayote spends her free time seeking out thrilling experiences whether it’s cliff diving, water sports, waterfall chasing, skydiving, or any other adrenaline rush, she’s likely given it a shot. Therefore, it’s no surprise that a job allowing her to be outdoors, high above the ground, and in tune with nature perfectly suits this self-confessed, natureloving adrenaline junkie
Contrary to the familiar caution of "don't go chasing waterfalls," Shayote’s knack for evaluating risks and ensuring safety, positions this confident young woman well for her chosen profession Indeed, Shayote is a 3rd year apprentice line worker and apprentice delegate based out of Townsville’s Ergon depot
With support and commitment, the sky’s the limit. After spending several years in a variety of odd jobs, Shayote found her footing in a role chasing cattle on cattle properties She later shifted to a childcare position before taking the significant step into her electrical career with Ergon
When asked about why she chose a career in the electrical trades and what she likes about it Shayote is very pragmatic
“The electrical industry was something that interested me because it seemed to be an industry that will continue growing, providing numerous pathways to follow, and no ceiling to stop me achieving my goals ”
Determined to forge a better life
Shayote acknowledges she has many great tradies and teachers in her short career at Ergon, but she reserves a special mention for her family when it comes to biggest influence on her career.
Brought up in a low-income environment with its share of issues, Shayote was determined to make a decent life for herself and show what can be achieved if you are willing to work hard and put your mind to it
“My biggest influence will always be my family They push me to be the best version of myself every day, because of them I am reminded that I can do anything I set my mind to ”
She also has an encouraging message for family members looking to step up and have a crack at something new. "I’m here to share what I’ve learned, if it helps them in their own journey "
A significant milestone in Shayote's journey to challenge limits and forge a brighter future for herself was her choice to purchase her first property last year, which she shares with her best mate Kate
Union journey into the unknown
With no formal family history of unionism Shayote found out about unions on the ground at work and she liked what she saw, did the research and the rest as they say is history
“I learned about unions after starting and Ergon. After looking into the ETU and talking to numerous colleagues at work, I could see that the ETU was a union that really went above and beyond for their members and was passionate about having female members involved in the union. I joined in my first week at Ergon and took on the delegate role for apprentices in my second year ”
When asked about the biggest influence in her ETU journey, Shayote calls it how she sees it with this down to earth, honest response.
“The biggest influence on my ETU journey was an “old tradie”, an ETU union man through and through. Who taught me it's not just about the pays and piss ups It’s about being there for your mates in this community the ETU has built and knowing you ' re not alone and you can stand up for what is right ”
“Being ETU means having a support system and work, having job security and having the opportunity to make a difference not just in our workplace but in our industry.”
Your proudest union moment so far?
“I love going to and being part of the union marches, and this year once again I attended the May Day march in Townsville I had a great time networking, meeting other people in their unions. And once again taking home the award for winning the tug of war!! Go ETU
Reflections on the 2024 apprentice conference
As is the sense of responsibility Shayote shows in everything she does, she attended her first apprentice delegates conference with a thirst to learn new things, have discussions and build networks, and she wasn’t disappointed
“I expected to get a better understanding of my role as a delegate, and I definitely think I got that The people there were amazing, the days had a very good structure, and it was a safe space to voice opinions, even if they were unpopular.”
The biggest thing Shayote got out of conference that she can take back to her workplace comes back to the core teachings of that old ETU tradie and what being ETU is all about, you are never alone.
“I know that for the apprentices, any questions they have for me, I now have the resources to find the answers for them ”
As discussed at the start of the article Shayote is a self-confessed adrenaline junkie, this is reflected well in her favourite things to do in her spare time, a smorgasbord for adrenaline seekers
Favourite things to do in your spare time?
I'm a pretty big adrenaline junkie and love nature so in my spare time there's lots of cliff jumping, skydiving, free diving, kayaking, rafting, stand-up paddle boarding, hiking, waterfall chasing
“Why I love skydiving and cliff jumping - it’s the feeling of being completely out of control of a situation just for a second, and just for that second you feel like you ' re flying not falling”
2025 UNION MEETING DATES
Ipswich sub branch
• 20 May
• 19 August
• 18 November
Townsville sub branch
• 4 June
• 3 September
Women’s committee
• 3 April
• 28 August
• 30 October
Youth Crew Brisbane
• 29 April
• 30 July
• 6 November
Youth Crew Gold Coast
• 7 May
• 6 August
• 12 November
Cairns (FNQ) sub branch
• 10 April
• 12 August
• 18 November
Contracting sub branch
• 7 May
• 6 August
• 12 November
Gladstone sub branch
• 13 June
• 12 September
• 5 December
Lift sub branch Gold Coast
• 11 June
Lift Sub-Branch Brisbane
• 16 July
• 19 November
Peace & Social Justice
• April 15
• June To Be Confirmed
• Northern Territory
• Mackay
• Sunshine Coast/Wide Bay
• Brisbane
• Old School
• Toowoomba
• Gold Coast
All meetings subject to change. Keep an eye on the ETU social media platforms and make sure your email address is up to date with us for more meeting details and to stay up to date.
MEMORIAL DAY MEMORIAL DAY
International Workers’ Memorial Day, also known as Workers’ Memorial Day or Day of Mourning, is an international annual event that commemorates workers who have died or been injured in the course of their work.
The day serves as a reminder of the ongoing need to improve workplace safety standards and to prevent future fatalities It is observed with ceremonies, moments of silence, and campaigns that highlight the importance of health and safety in the workplace
A TIME TO REFELCT AND REDOUBLE OUR EFFORTS TO NOT ONLY MAKE WORKPLACES SAFER BUT CALL OUT THOSE WHO WOULD DO THE OPPOSITE
MOURN THE DEAD, FIGHT LIKE HELL FOR THE LIVING
IWMD activities are held throughout the state on 28th April, stay informed via Facebook and our website for events in your area.
MAY DAY MAY DAY
110 Years Strong
May Day Weekend: 3rd to 5th May 2025
Since the 1890’s May Day parades have been held across Queensland on the first weekend in May as close as possible to May 1 which is the International Workers’ Day Over the past 20-30 years May Day has become an institution in the workers calendar and despite the blip that was Newman, Bliejie and their cronies moving the Labour Day Public Holiday from May to October in 2013 and 2014 overturning more than 100 years of tradition – ETU members still marched in their thousands in May
May Day is in the blood and despite the tensions present in 2025, the ETU will march as we have done since our formation 110 years ago, with Pride in our Union and Solidarity for the workers’ struggle in our hearts Mark the date, check the details on socials, website and email and Turn Up, by turning up you show your solidarity and your commitment to our Union and its members
The following assembly, march and activity details are correct as of 20 March, please note they could change, and you will note some locations are yet advise. We will update and post on our website when finalised, there will also be a circular.
ALICE SPRINGS: Monday 5th May - 9am meet at carpark across from the Old Memorial Club, contact Jamie Walmsley 045 473 578
BARCALDINE: Tree Of Knowledge Festival 2-5 May Look online for more details.
BRISBANE: Monday 5th May Meet cnr of Turbot and Wharf Streets, Spring Hill From 7 00am for ETU contingent breakfast and coffee, collect T shirts by 9.30am. 10.00am march commences. Contact Jimmy Little on 0417 670 821
BUNDABERG: Saturday 3rd May - 10 00am at Riverside Parklands, Quay Street For 10 30am March followed by fun at the Bundy Bowls Club contact Dan Bessell on 0437 184 315
CAIRNS: Monday 5th May - 9.00am at Figtree Park, 34-38 Esplanade Cairns March from 10 30am Contact Robert Hill 0430 072 049
CENTRAL QUEENSLAND: Moranbah, Mackay, Rockhampton, and Gladstone information to be advised.
GOLD COAST: Sunday 4th May - 9 00am at nth end of Kurrawa Park, Old Burleigh Rd Broadbeach March from 10am then to the park for family fun. Contact Steve Bravo on 0437 798 007
DARWIN: Monday 5th May - 10 00am meet at 38 Woods Street for 10 30 march followed by family fun day at Bicentennial Park from 11am contact Strawbs on 0419 721 042
IPSWICH: Saturday 3rd May - 12 30pm at Timothy Moloney Park, Ellenborough St, Woodend March starts at 1pm then back at the park Contact Stuart Traill on 0488 225 625
MARYBOROUGH: Sunday 4th May - 10 00am opp Waterside Workers Hall, Wharf St March time TBA Contact Dan Bessell on 0437 184 315
SUNSHINE COAST: Sunday 4th May - 10 00am at Caloundra Sharks Football Club contact Dan Bessell on 0437 184 315
THURSDAY ISLAND: Friday 23rd May - 5.00pm at Anzac Park. Contact Robert Hill on 0430 072 049
TOOWOOMBA: Saturday 3rd May - 10 30am Hall Lane March 11am from Hall Lane then to the Armitage Centre 54-56 Neil St for drinks and BBQ Contact Damo on 0437 0125 451
TOWNSVILLE: Monday 5th May - 9 00am at Strand Park, The Strand Contact Liam Sharkey on 0498 278 976
WEIPA: Saturday 10th May – 7am across from Woolworths and Weipa Hospital
the South African Apartheid regime in the past Speakers stressed the view that it was not anti-Semitic to call out war crimes committed by the Israeli government
A presentation on why the new state government’s unprecedented politically motivated gag on MPs even discussing women ’ s reproductive rights and abortion has baked in disadvantages such as access, cost and barriers The presenter highlighted that contrary to popular belief abortion is very seldom cheap, access is patchy at best and for women in regional and remote communities the barriers are even greater. Discussion was also held around how the subject of eroding a women ’ s right to choose was also creeping into federal politics as well with LNP senator Jacinta Price vowing to raise abortion in the national political agenda
Motions were passed on the four main topics and were forwarded to State Secretary Peter Ong for consideration. Before a broader discussion occurred around the rise of neo-nazi and far right rhetoric and actions occurring on worksites and how as a union we can legally combat the scourge
The next meeting of the subcommittee meeting is scheduled for 3 30pm Tuesday 15 April at the ETU Office 41 Peel St South Brisbane and a zoom link will be available to enable wider participation – an invite link will be sent via an email to members who have expressed an interest in being involved, if you wish to participate please email andrew@etu.org.au
Stop Press 20 March 2025
ETU condemns Israeli bombardment of Gaza in the strongest possible terms – the action during a so called cease fire which has killed hundreds of Palestinians mostly women and children is abhorrent and inhumane, we call on the Australian Government to condemn the actions
MISSION STATEMENT
The ETU Peace and Social Justice Subcommittee aims to:
• Serve as a credible voice for peace and social justice within our union.
• Act as a social conscience of our union,
• Educate and mobilise our members to understand and advocate for peace and social justice issues and see them as integral to the broader class struggle and workers’ rights agenda
We will aim to achieve this by utilising research, hosting forums, organising events to share information, enhance awareness and increase activism, starting from the understanding that peace is union business
Another year, another election…
In the slightly faded supposedly red corner, almost purple is the centrist Australian Labor Party (ALP) in the supposedly blue almost black corner is the right wing Liberal National Coalition (LNP), on the fringes we have the left-wing Greens, the hard right One Nation, the not right Palmer trumpet? party and rounded out by the she’ll be right or not, Katter’s and Lambie.
Like the US Presidential Election, the vast majority of the 151 house of representative seats, barring a catastrophic blunder never change their allegiances, however there are a swag of seats that sit within a few percentage points, these are called marginal seats These seats will be the battleground seats where the election is likely won and lost Throw in a few redistributions or unexpected three corner contests eg Brisbane and Ryan going to the Greens and a large number of others seats going to Teal Independents in 2022, on the best guestimates you have probably 15-20 true battleground seats in 2025 These will be the ones to watch on election night Five of the battleground seats are in Queensland and one in the NT, Lingiari which sits on a margin of 1 7% in favour of the ALP
For now, let’s have a look at the current federal election polling for Queensland and NT, and the list of seats to watch. I have also included the electoral pendulum for Queensland to show the state of play up here.
Current Queensland and national polling as at 9 March
NT Polling
YOUGOV tracking poll in Feb and an Accent Redbridge poll in late December have massively different results in Lingiari, while Solomon remains solid ALP, the availability of good poll data means Lingiari remains in play
Lingiari 57/43 ALP (YG) and 46/54 LNP (AR)
Solomon 53/47 ALP (YG) and 61/39 ALP (AR)
Dickson 1.7%
margin LNP V ALP
Peter Dutton Ali France
Ryan 2.6%
margin Greens V LNP Elizabeth Watson-Brown
Longman 3.1%
Maggie Forrest LNP
Rebecca Hack ALP
margin LNP V ALP Terry Young Rhiannyn Douglas ALP
Leichardt 3.4%
margin LNP V ALP Retiring
Warren Entsch LNP candidate Jeremy Neal Matt Smith ALP
Brisbane 3.7%
margin Greens V LNP Stephen Bates
Lingiari 1 7% margin Marion Scrymgour
Madonna Jarrett ALP, Trevor Evans LNP
Lisa Siebert CLP
Ali’s third tilt at the seat, the LNP will throw money at this, tough ask to take it for ALP despite it being the LNP’s most marginal QLD seat The inclusion of a Teal/Maroon independent in the field makes it a seat to watch
The Greens won this traditionally conservative seat in 2022 on the back of a late collapse in the ALP vote, 50/50 whether Greens can hold on to it this time
A smaller than expected swing to ALP of just 2% in 2022 dampens expectations that seat could come back to ALP.
The retirement of Warren Entsch makes this seat one to watch Right wing preferences could see the LNP hold on.
Genuine three-cornered contest with all options on the table, early count in 2022 gave the seat to LNP, then ALP and eventually the Greens did a Bradbury, coming from 3rd to win
Following the almost complete wipeout suffered by the ALP at the NT election this will be a tough seat to hold for the ALP With polling showing vastly different outcomes, definitely one to watch
Apprentices & training for the industry, by the industry
$2.5 MILLION MORE REASONs IT PAYS TO BE IN THE ETU
Hall Payne Lawyers win more than $2.5 million for ETU members. With some members initially offered nothing at all by their Workers Compensation Insurer while others were offered a fraction of the final Damages achieved through Court action by HPL.
The importance of seeking advice.
The cases below and the many cases won by HPL on behalf of ETU members over the years highlight the absolute importance of members not accepting lump sum offers from insurers without seeking advice first
Asset Inspector
• The worker was the driver of a motor vehicle involved in an accident whilst driving between jobs The accident was caused entirely by the negligence of the other vehicle.
• Injuries: Upper back injury
• After a period of time off work, the worker was able to return to full time work albeit with ongoing restrictions
• 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 $240,000 00
Linesperson
• The worker was injured during the course of his employment as a result of over time exposure to unsafe practices
• Injuries: Psychological
• The workers’ compensation insurer (the Insurer) initially offered $0 00 in full and final settlement of the worker’s claim
• The worker was off work for a period of time and unable to return to work in their pre-injury capacity.
• HPL recommended the worker pursue a common law claim against his employer on the basis that the employer had failed to provide the worker a safe system of work
• The employer strongly denied liability and proceedings were commenced in Court
• The workers’ case was ultimately successful with damages of approximately $700,000 00 being awarded
Electrical Service Technician
• The worker was injured in the course of lifting and manoeuvring a heavy item up a stairwell
• Injuries: Right Wrist and Psychological
• The insurer initially offered approximately $3,00 00 in full and final settlement of the worker’s claim
• The worker was off for a period of time and unable to return to work in their pre-injury capacity.
• HPL recommended the worker pursue a common law claim against his employer
• The case was ultimately successful with Damages of approximately $480,000.00 being awarded.
Apprentice Distribution Linesperson
• The worker was injured whilst fixing a power outage
• Injuries: Left leg and Psychiatric
• The Insurer initially offered approximately $7,000.00 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
• HPL recommended the worker reject the lump sum offer from the insurer and pursue a common law claim against the employer who strongly denied liability
• The worker was ultimately successful with Damages in the sum of $125,000.00 being awarded.
Electrical Leading Hand
• The worker was the driver of a motor vehicle involved in two separate accidents whilst travelling to work. Both accidents were caused by the negligence of the other driver
• Injuries: Whiplash and lower back
• The worker was off work for a period following each incident but able to return with ongoing restrictions.
• HPL recommended the worker pursue a common law claim against the at fault drivers
• The cases was ultimately successful with Damages in the sum of approximately $430,000.00 being awarded.
EWP Operator
• The worker was injured whilst operating a wood chipper
• At the time the worker first consulted HPL, the 3 year limitation period had expired and his claim was arguably statute barred This created a significant barrier for the worker to obtain compensation
• Injuries: Bilateral Shoulders
• The Insurer initially offered approximately $7,000.00 in full and final settlement of the worker’s claim
• The worker was off work for a period of time and eventually was able to secure alternate employment
• HPL recommended the worker pursue a common law claim against his employer
• HPL was able to overcome the limitation defence and successfully recovered damages in the amount of approximately $235,000 00
Service Technician
• The worker was injured whilst undertaking repair works to an escalator
• Injuries: Left Foot
• The Insurer initially offered approximately $15,000.00 in full and final settlement of the worker’s claim
• The worker was off for a period of time and eventually was able to secure alternate employment
• HPL recommended the worker pursue a common law claim against his employer
• The employer vehemently denied liability and proceedings were commenced in Court
• The case was litigated through the court process. The worker was ultimately successful in recovering approximately $200,000 00 damages
