The Electrical Trades Union (ETU) is calling on clarity from Energy Queensland (EQL) and the State Government over proposed job cuts to the maintenance programme, after workers have been told their jobs are on the chopping block, despite the Crisafulli Government telling parliament yesterday that claims of job losses were "not true."
The timing of this could not be any worse, with Southeast Queensland expected to receive rainfall totals exceeding 300 millimetres over the next three days, with flood warnings and severe storm warnings issued, as ex-tropical cyclone Mitchell makes its way across the country. This will have all internal resources stretched once again with no capacity to call on contractors, as EQL moves to remove contractors in Southeast Queensland, which means the public will need to prepare for longer power outages, potentially weeks instead of days.
"Queensland workers and Queenslanders deserve better than this," ETU Qld and NT Assistant Secretary Stuart Traill said. "We are staring down the barrel of another serious weather event, and at the same time Energy Queensland workers are being left in limbo about whether their jobs will be cut."
Traill said the Queensland Government and EQL must get on the same page and confirm whether these job cuts will occur, warning that mixed messages between parliament and EQL are creating unnecessary fear and uncertainty for workers and their families.
"This is no game. These are workers' jobs and their families' livelihoods on the line," Traill said. "David Janetzki stood up in parliament yesterday and said the proposed job cuts were 'not true', yet Energy Queensland is moving in a completely different direction behind closed doors."
Up to 150 contractor roles could be impacted across the state, with affected line workers potentially forced to leave Queensland, relocate their families or work extended interstate rosters.
"For line workers, there is no easy alternative. If these jobs disappear, the only option is to go interstate on long rosters or move your family away," say's State Organiser Leonard Lane. "That means Queensland loses skilled, experienced workers who are critical to the maintenance of our electricity network. This also has the flow on affect to leave communities in ruins, as doctors, nurses, teachers and other frontline workers, who are the apart of these contractors' families, will also be forced out of these communities."
Cutting frontline energy jobs while severe weather threatens large parts of the state is reckless and puts communities at risk. These workers should be preparing for storm response, not preparing to back their bags and leave Queensland.
The ETU is calling on Energy Queensland and the State Government to stop contradicting each other and clean up the mess they've created, which workers and Queenslanders are paying the price for. Workers deserve clarity about their job future, Queenslanders deserve reliable power restoration during storms, and right now they are being denied both.
