News
Energy
NSW: Poles and wires boss bullies workforce into supporting privatisation with outsourcing threat
20 August 2014
Thousands of workers that tirelessly run the NSW electricity network woke this morning to an unprecedented attack from their own management, with veiled threats that they face a choice between cuts to their wages and conditions, or mass outsourcing of jobs. Read this item on the Branch website here and…
Both Queensland and New South Wales are embarking on a road that may lead to electricity privatisation, but those states should heed the lessons learned by their southern neighbours who tread that path nearly 20 years ago. We know from bitter experience that "competition" in electricity does not result in…
Watch Senator Sam Dastyari taking aim at the NSW Liberal/National Coalition on the sale of the poles and wires that belong to all of the people of NSW. We need more like people like Sam to call it as it is. >>> Read this news item on the NSW US…
Fudged figures used in power privatisation pitch to deceive NSW voters into supporting sale
02 June 2014
Claims that the privatisation of the NSW electricity network could deliver $30 billion for infrastructure projects contradict the government's own figures and are part of a deliberate attempt to trick NSW voters, according to the Stop the Sell Off campaign. A Sydney newspaper has reported that a sale of the…
In last night’s Budget the Federal Government tried to sweeten the state government pot. The formula to top up state assets with resources obtained from the privatisation of Medibank, recently discussed between state governments and the Commonwealth, might sound a good idea, but it will have a negative effect on…
Essential Energy: WE WON!
13 May 2014
The decision in the long running battle of scope was handed down last week by His Honour, Senior Deputy President Hamberger in a massive win for the Unions and its collective members. >>> Read the news item on the NSW US Branch website here His Honour has found that the…
New report reveals secret international trade negotiations threaten our public services
28 April 2014
The Australian Services Union's global affiliate Public Services International (PSI) has today released a new report that reveals secret trade negotiations may threaten public services across the globe, including in Australia. The ASU, as the principal union in local government and utilities (water & energy) is alarmed at findings…
As privatisation looms as the Abbott Government's preferred method of reducing debt, the ASU and others are using submissions to inquiries and reviews to highlight the failures of this approach. Our submission to the Federal Government which is preparing an Energy White Paper continues this focus. The ASU has campaigned…
The USU/ASU has welcomed the most recent decision by Fair Work Commission which re-affirms the Commission's original decision to disallow an employer from conducting on-site urine testing on its employees for the detection of drugs. The employer Endeavour Energy had initiated the most recent case in an attempt to get…
ASU negotiates rollover Agreement with AEMO
15 July 2013
ASU members have resoundingly endorsed the proposed variation (rollover) to the AEMO Enterprise Agreement. On Thursday 11th July 2013, ASU members and AEMO staff covered by the AEMO Enterprise Agreement were provided the opportunity to vote on extending the Agreement for a fourth year. Out of the 245 staff who…
Launch of multi-million dollar campaign to keep NSW electricity network in public hands
02 April 2013
Electricity unions will today launch a multi-million dollar community campaign against aproposal by the O'Farrell Government to sell the state's electricity poles and wiresmonopoly to pay for unfunded election commitments. ETU ASU Privatisation Launch
PM confirms Fed Govt does not support electricity privatisation
12 December 2012
Following the publication of the Federal Government's Energy White Paper in early November, various media and other sources have been suggesting that the Government supports electricity privatisation. This was not the ASU's interpretation of the Government's position, so we sought a clarification from the Prime Minister's office which has confirmed…
Federal Government’s Energy White Paper released today
08 November 2012
Federal Minister for Energy Martin Ferguson has today released the Energy White Paper. It is an important step forward in the discussion around energy and electricity use in Australia. We now have a clear statement from the Federal Government that all Australians want to hear - it is about getting…
Last week, the ASU reported on research from the University of Sydney highlighting the significance to the public of state owned infrastructure, particularly in the electricity industry. In light of reports in recent days about the push to privatise billions of dollars of publically owned assets by Infrastructure Australia and…