Latest news with #AustralianWorkersUnion
AU Financial Review
a day ago
- Business
- AU Financial Review
AWU says Chalmers must put big conditions on $36b Santos takeover
The Australian Workers Union is demanding Labor force Santos' Abu Dhabi suitor to supply more gas to the domestic market and sell four processing plants before it is allowed to buy the country's second-largest oil and gas company in a transaction worth more than $36 billion. The influential union is a key supporter of Treasurer Jim Chalmers, who will decide whether a consortium led by the state-owned Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, known as ADNOC, can acquire the ASX-listed company.
News.com.au
10-06-2025
- Business
- News.com.au
Rio Tinto Tomago aluminium smelter in NSW reportedly close to collapse
Rio Tinto's massive Tomago aluminium smelter in NSW is reportedly close to collapse. The facility, situated in Tomago about 13km west of Newcastle, employs some 1000 workers directly, but a stoppage would hit another 5000 indirect workers across the Hunter Valley. Mining giant Rio Tinto holds a 51.6 per cent interest in the smelter, which produces about 590,000 tonnes of aluminium each year, or about 37 per cent of Australia's total production. Multiple reports suggest the company is in emergency talks with state and federal governments for a bailout. NewsWire has contacted NSW energy minister Penny Sharpe, federal energy minister Chris Bowen and the Australian Workers' Union for confirmation of the discussions. Rio Tinto declined to comment on Tuesday. The AFR first reported on the talks on Friday, citing high energy costs for the possible shutdown. Tomago is currently powered by AGL Energy's Bayswater coal fired power station, but is pivoting to renewable energy. In January, the federal government announced a $2bn production credit for aluminium businesses to transition their smelters to green energy, which Rio heralded as a vote of confidence in domestic manufacturing. 'As traditional energy sources for heavy industry become increasingly uncompetitive, today's announcement is a critical piece in helping future-proof the industry,' Rio Tinto chief executive for Australia Kellie Parker said. 'Such support is crucial for sustaining and growing regional economies. 'As global industrial customers and consumers increasingly focus on low-carbon products, this support signals Australia's potential to be a major supplier of the aluminium needed for the global energy transition.' But negotiations over a new energy contract have troubled the smelter's operations for months. The current contract with AGL is due to expire in 2028. 2GB's Ben Fordham, speaking on Tuesday, said the situation was 'not good'. 'We've got the materials, we've got the workers, we've got the smelters, but what we don't have is a working energy system,' he said. 'If it shuts, we're not just losing a smelter, we're risking 6000 jobs.' Some 90 per cent of Tomago aluminium is exported to Asia.
ABC News
06-06-2025
- Business
- ABC News
Noosa Council workers locked in pay stoush in expensive holiday destination
A dispute over a new pay agreement for workers who help keep one of Australia's most popular holiday destinations moving has been stretching on for months. Multiple bouts of strike action by Noosa Council workers since February have been responded to with lockouts, or threats of lockouts, from council management. At least half a dozen union-aligned workers have been locked out of work until Monday, June 9, the unions said. That industrial action has meant some services such as pothole repairs and bin collections have not been completed. Noosa Council said it was working hard to maintain a balance between workers' rights and service delivery for residents. The Queensland Industrial Relations Commission has also become involved, with a meeting scheduled for Friday morning which led to a new offer from council which will go to union members for consultation. Prior to the meeting, Noosa Council CEO Larry Sengstock said its offer was fair and reflected increases in cost-of-living. About 200 staff members at Noosa Council are represented by either The Services Union or the Australian Workers' Union. Both unions have said they were hoping for a pay rise of at least 15 per cent over three years. They said that would bring Noosa Council salaries more on par with other local councils, including nearby Gympie, where the cost-of-living was lower. Tom Rivers, from The Services Union, said it used to be accepted that salaries were lower in Noosa because it was traditionally seen as such a good place to live that it was worth it. But with the median house price in Noosa Heads exceeding $2 million or $1.3 million in the shire, according to CoreLogic data from 2024, Mr Rivers said that was no longer fair. "It was always casually thrown around in Noosa that you're working and living in paradise, you don't need to get paid as much," he said. An outdoor worker at Noosa Council on a band 4 would be earning about $61,000 a year. At nearby Gympie, the same role would attract $68,000. "Even at the top end of the [agreement], we're still not talking about that much money for living in such an expensive town," Mr Rivers said. Michael Anderson from the Australian Workers' Union said the council's figures showed 30 per cent of their workers could not afford to live in the shire. Many lived closer to inland towns such as Gympie where housing was more affordable. Earlier this year, Noosa Council offered a pay rise of 15 per cent over three years and four months. "A lot of our members are quite disgruntled by that extra four months," Mr Rivers said. With Noosa Council looking unlikely to move, Mr Rivers said that could mean the prospect of further industrial action. Last week, the unions took their call for higher wages to the public, doorknocking and talking to residents. Mr Rivers said that had garnered a largely positive response, with the public mostly sympathetic to the unions' calls. Mr Anderson agreed. He said that extended to people understanding that rates would need to increase. "They understand that workers need and require a livable wage," he said. On the other hand, Mr Anderson said it has been "extremely difficult" to deal with the council throughout the process. "Many of our members have experienced intimidation from … managers," he said. He said in his experience, although lockouts were a "normal tactic", Noosa Council's approach had so far been at the "extreme end" of an employer's response. Mr Rivers said the council's reaction had seemed "disproportionate" at times. He said he had also heard members were concerned about staff retention rates, as many came and went within a couple of months, increasing workload for others and having an impact on morale. Mr Sengstock denied the council has been trying to "intimidate" workers throughout the protracted industrial action by imposing and threatening lockouts. "Our normal services have been suffering, and the residents are now starting to recognise that and demand their services are taken up," he said. "It's a balancing act. I'm really trying to look after our staff, but also, you know, I've got to be conscious of delivering the services that our residents are paying for." In a statement, a spokesperson for Noosa Council said it was "committed" to reaching a solution, and would respond to unions' claims in meetings with the commission.
ABC News
01-06-2025
- Health
- ABC News
Alasdair McDonald
Forest ecologist Professor David Lindenmayer says the shock discovery of critically endangered Leadbeater's possum is likely a new subspecies. 2h ago 2 hours ago Sun 1 Jun 2025 at 7:57am The Australian Workers Union says it is looking at legal action over claims Snowy 2.0 workers were locked down during this week's strike action. Fri 23 May Fri 23 May Fri 23 May 2025 at 5:43am The family of Canberra man Harri Jokinen, who was killed during a high-speed police pursuit on the Monaro Highway in 2021, hopes an inquest into his death will lead to a change in policy. Fri 16 May Fri 16 May Fri 16 May 2025 at 5:24am Snowy Mountains councillor Andrew Thaler has been ordered to apologise for alleged misconduct. He says he has been denied the presumption of innocence. Tue 6 May Tue 6 May Tue 6 May 2025 at 9:42am NSW government reviews Snowy Mountain councillor Andrew Thaler's behaviour after his colleagues accuse him of poor conduct. Thu 20 Mar Thu 20 Mar Thu 20 Mar 2025 at 12:47am The 34-year-old's body was found south of Eden after a three-day search by emergency services. Mon 10 Mar Mon 10 Mar Mon 10 Mar 2025 at 6:10am Senior Constable Brett David Lindsay will face two separate court hearings for six assault charges relating to alleged incidents while he was on duty on the NSW Far South Coast. Mon 17 Feb Mon 17 Feb Mon 17 Feb 2025 at 9:49pm Missing hiker Hadi Nazari left a trail of clues, but trying to find him in some of the most rugged terrain in NSW was still hard work. Thu 9 Jan Thu 9 Jan Thu 9 Jan 2025 at 7:20am The family of Hadi Nazari, missing in the NSW Snowy Mountains for over a week, is calling for resources from Victoria to be called in to help find the 23-year-old. Fri 3 Jan Fri 3 Jan Fri 3 Jan 2025 at 9:45pm As the search for Hadi Nazari continues in Kosciuszko National Park, the man's friends say they have been given hope by the discovery of some of his possessions in the rugged NSW Snowy Mountains. Thu 2 Jan Thu 2 Jan Thu 2 Jan 2025 at 6:30am Sailor Luke Watkins spent 45 minutes in the water after he was thrown overboard during the Sydney to Hobart yacht race early on Friday morning. He says his safety training and quick thinking from his crew saved his life. Fri 27 Dec Fri 27 Dec Fri 27 Dec 2024 at 5:22pm Hundreds of cases of flesh-eating Buruli ulcer have been reported in Victoria this year, a new study has named a NSW tourist town as the next potential hotspot and has warned of possible spread along NSW coastline Fri 20 Dec Fri 20 Dec Fri 20 Dec 2024 at 9:20pm A high school on the NSW far south coast has closed today after two cleaners found a staff room alight early this morning. The cleaners suffered smoke inhalation, and an investigation into the fire is underway. Wed 4 Dec Wed 4 Dec Wed 4 Dec 2024 at 6:15am Senior Constable Brett David Lindsay pleads not guilty to six assault charges relating to alleged incidents while he was on duty on the NSW far south coast. Mon 25 Nov Mon 25 Nov Mon 25 Nov 2024 at 3:01am A police officer is suspended with pay over the charges, which stem from an incident at a Batemans Bay shopping centre. Fri 8 Nov Fri 8 Nov Fri 8 Nov 2024 at 1:25am Iain Dawson has pleaded guilty to transferring $34,000 of art gallery funds into his own bank account. Wed 16 Oct Wed 16 Oct Wed 16 Oct 2024 at 7:15am Senior Constable Kristian White will face a jury trial in November after he pleaded not guilty over the death of the great-grandmother who was tasered in a Snowy Mountains nursing home in 2023. Wed 16 Oct Wed 16 Oct Wed 16 Oct 2024 at 6:18am Robert Karl Huber has pleaded not guilty to murdering his partner Lindy Lucena, 64, in a Ballina laneway in January 2023. He will face trial later this year. Fri 11 Oct Fri 11 Oct Fri 11 Oct 2024 at 5:01am The Walbunja people of the NSW far south coast have been handed back an important piece of their culture, once owned by the late environmental activist, academic and philosopher Val Plumwood. Mon 23 Sep Mon 23 Sep Mon 23 Sep 2024 at 8:33pm Kristian White is set face trial in NSW Supreme Court on one count of manslaughter after the death of 95-year-old Clare Nowland. Wed 11 Sep Wed 11 Sep Wed 11 Sep 2024 at 3:30am These First Nations students are the traditional people of the New South Wales Snowy Mountains, yet some of them had never set foot on snow before. Sun 8 Sep Sun 8 Sep Sun 8 Sep 2024 at 6:40am A hydrologist says the Snowy 2.0 pumped-hydro scheme will be more resilient to climate change than its predecessor but predicted extreme droughts will cause issues. Thu 5 Sep Thu 5 Sep Thu 5 Sep 2024 at 4:45am The snow season at Charlotte Pass could be under threat after a devastating fire, as its owners meet with the State Government to help plan their recovery. Thu 23 May Thu 23 May Thu 23 May 2024 at 4:21am After 55 years growing oysters, Bernie Connell and his oyster "Jill" look set to break world records after this weekend's Narooma Oyster Festival on the NSW far south coast. Sun 5 May Sun 5 May Sun 5 May 2024 at 7:57am Yuliya Pashkovska, who died at an unpatrolled beach on the New South Wales' South Coast on Tuesday is being remembered as a "much-loved" health care provider. Thu 21 Mar Thu 21 Mar Thu 21 Mar 2024 at 6:25am
ABC News
23-05-2025
- Business
- ABC News
Union considering legal action over claims staff locked down during Snowy 2.0 strike
The Australian Workers Union is threatening legal action over the alleged treatment by Snowy 2.0 contractors of striking tunnel workers. More than 1,000 workers walked off the job on the multi-billion dollar pumped hydro energy project on Wednesday in a bid to push for pay similar to their employer WeBuild's workers on the North East Link Tunnels in Melbourne. The union's organiser Darren Cameron met with workers at Snowy Mountains Airport, outside Cooma, on Thursday where he alleged the union had been unable to meet with some members during the strike. "To add insult to injury, the project put out a directive that nobody could leave the project or enter the project," Mr Cameron said. WeBuild and Snowy Hydro have been contacted for comment. Mr Cameron said workers, like their emplyer, want the $12 billion project finished after it was plagued by tunnelling delays in recent years due to what Snowy Hydro called a challenging geological fault zone. Last year, the NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure approved an application by Snowy Hydro to use a fourth tunnel boring machine which is set to begin excavating by the end of the year. Mr Cameron said further strike action will go ahead next week if the workers' demands are not met. "The same company is doing exactly the same kind of tunnelling work in Melbourne for 12 per cent more pay," he said. "The conditions on this project are arduous. "These people should be the highest paid tunnellers in Australia, not the lowest, which is the current situation. "We are aiming to change that." He said the pay issue will go before the Fair Work Commission on Tuesday and he hopes it will be resolved before further industrial action next week. The CFMEU's state organiser for the union's Construction and General Branch, Mark Cross, was also in Cooma on Thursday and said the unions have come together to make sure workers are being taken care of following the implosion of a ventilation fan in February. He said safety concerns were impacting the mental health of workers and their families. "The isolation factor of living in a remote camp means communications are not the greatest in terms of being able to reach out to their friends and families," he said. "It is impacting these guys." Electrical Trades Union organiser Jarred Pearce said he had hope the issue of pay parity would be dealt with by the employer. "We are trying to get the right outcome for both wages and safety."
