Noosa Council workers will take their case directly to the Noosa community tomorrow with a campaign of door knocking and letterboxing to explain to ratepayers how poorly they have been treated by Noosa Shire Council.
Workers have been locked in a dispute with the council CEO since February over a new three year pay deal.
To add insult to injury the latest pay offer made by the CEO turned out to be a dud, while it improved the offer from 14% over three years to 15% it delayed one of the three annual pay rises meaning workers would receive no extra money.
This is unacceptable and the AWU is seeking Mayoral intervention.
Over a number of years, a toxic council workplace culture has developed, with growing staff vacancies and threats of asset sales and redundancies becoming commonplace.
This matter must be taken out of the CEO's hands and resolved by Mayor Wilkie.
Quotes attributable to Mick Anderson, AWU Organiser:
"It is an absolute disgrace that a council CEO earning almost $400,000 a year is trying to block low-paid workers for asking for a pay rise.
"If he's not threatening to dock pay from our workers, this CEO is offering us a dud deal dressed up as an improved pay offer.
"We know that under this CEO, council workers' pay has fallen behind neighbouring councils.
"This deal could be done tomorrow if the Mayor agreed to scrap the pay-rise deferral that would dud workers - that's all our members are asking for.
"Council exists for the benefit of the community, and there is no community benefit in depriving low-paid workers and their families of a pay rise during a cost-of-living crisis.
"That's why AWU activists will be taking to the streets of Noosa, talking directly to residents about how the Council's actions are impacting the local community.
"If the Mayor allows this to continue, we'll see more potholes, more bins go unemptied, and residents will suffer.
"It's time for the Mayor to step up, stop his CEO's ridiculous behaviour, and deliver the pay rise Council workers deserve."
