United magazine Summer 2019

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“EISS are always sharing handy saving tips with me.” Thao, NSW USU and EISS Super Member Join your industry super fund, visit eisuper.com.au/join Issued by Energy Industries Superannuation Scheme Pty Limited ABN 72 077 947 285, RSE Licensee L0001373 and AFS Licence 441877. 50191_USU_JournalAd_250x185mm.indd 1 8 • United Summer 2019 14/11/19 12:08 pm
STOPPING MASS JOB CUTS @ ESSENTIAL ENERGY In July 2019, Essential Energy, a NSW State Owned Corporation, made an announcement that it would be slashing its workforce through a proposed 182 redundancies across its Network. This news came as a massive shock to members who had already endured its workforce being reduced by almost half when over 2000 jobs were cut in the past 4 years and thought that the redundancies were all well and truly behind them. Further to this, Essential Energy announced that they would be reducing the workforce by 600 workers by 2024, from 3100 to 2500 employees with the first tranche being the 182 by August 2019. Essential Energy employs over 3000 employees across the State, mostly in rural and regional NSW where unemployment is high and the drought is having devastating affects across many communities. FAMILIES UNDER THREAT Many Essential Energy employees, along with family members - spouses, fathers, sons and daughters etc. - have worked across the Essential Energy Network for a very long time. The prospect of finding alternative employment is daunting for many. Families employed by Essential were worried about how the job losses might affect them if both breadwinners were made redundant at once. Yet despite this, Essential Energy announced that up to 600 jobs would go over the next Australian Energy Regulatory Period which ends in 2024. 182 of these positions would go by September 2019. Essential Energy blamed the Australian Energy Regulator “AER” for the decision saying that it was forced to reduce its Capex and Opex and that the only way to further reduce this was to cut jobs. The USU, along with the other Energy Unions, swung into action by lodging a dispute with the FWC due to Essential Energy not following the provisions of the Essential Energy Enterprise Agreement 2018. As a result negotiations Essential Energy delegates (l to r) Daniel Welsh Port Macquarie, Mark Lenton Broken Hill, Judy Cutler Port Macquarie, Jason Bartlett Riverina, Ruth Smallwood Port Macquarie and (front) Leanne New Mudgee worked with members to stop the job cuts. commenced with Essential Energy resulting in a longer consultation time of 6 weeks which gave the USU and members time to work on strategies that would save jobs. MEMBERS TAKE ACTION All USU members were encouraged to contact their local MPs particularly in rural and regional areas. This proved a very effective strategy as the Nationals MPs in these areas became very concerned about their own seats given that the State Government had made an announcement prior to the election that no Public Service jobs would be cut. The USU worked tirelessly with the other Energy Unions through meetings with Essential Energy, meetings with affected members, industrially through the Fair Work Commission and meeting with key MP’s to assist in placing this matter in parliament. While this was going on union members were continuing to meet with MP’s in their office to discuss the devastating impacts these job losses would have on them and their communities. Pressure was mounting on National Party MPs who started to publicly question Essential Energy’s decision and when the State Opposition Leader Jodi McKay and Deputy State Opposition Leader Yasmine Catley visited members in Port Macquarie, amid mounting pressure, the Deputy Premier John Barilaro publicly called on Gladys Berejiklian to act. On the 20th of August 2019 the NSW State Government notified the Board of Essential Energy that they must halt the proposed 182 proposed job cuts. This win comes as a result of sustained pressure placed on MP’s in regional areas affected by these proposed job cuts and highlights that through collective efforts from the Energy Unions and their members what the power of Unionism is all about! While this announcement halts the tranche of 182 job cuts, to date, no information has come forward regarding ongoing job cuts to 2024. This tells us that this fight is far from over and we will continue to campaign to ensure that moving forward, Essential Energy will not be allowed to unnecessarily cut members’ jobs! United Summer 2019 • 9
Page 1 and 2: U nited Official journal of the Uni
Page 3 and 4: LOOKING TO THE FUTURE I don’t nee
Page 5 and 6: AWARD 2020: WE’RE READY USU Manag
Page 7: VALE, DAVID SMITH A titan of the Au
Page 11 and 12: Strong sustainable super Superannua
Page 13 and 14: $17.5 Billion in lost or unclaimed
Page 15 and 16: CITY OF NEWCASTLE USU MEMBERS IN UN
Page 17 and 18: STOP WORK KIAMA COUNCIL MEMBERS DEF
Page 19 and 20: SACKBAITING The cowardly abuse and
Page 21 and 22: : CHANGING PERSPECTIVES 2019 AWARD
Page 23 and 24: While Garth moved onto new employme
Page 25 and 26: CELEBRATING STEVE BIRNEY’S LIFETI
Page 27 and 28: Conference is a great opportunity f
Page 29 and 30: DO YOU NEED EXPERT LEGAL ADVICE? Ca
Page 31 and 32: SPOTLIGHT ON OUR RIVERSIDE MANAGERS
Page 33 and 34: TWEED SHIRE USU PICNIC DAY Front ro
Page 35 and 36: GREAT WIN FOR URALLA SHIRE COUNCIL
Page 37 and 38: 2019 NEW GEN AWARD WINNERS! Photo (
Page 39 and 40: BOWLED OVER @ LISMORE USU members a
Page 41 and 42: United Summer 2019 • 41
Page 43 and 44: GREAT PRIZES TO BE WON! Two winners

United magazine Summer 2019

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