STAFF from services, transport workers and plumbers unions rallied outside Logan City Council chambers to make their case for a fair and equitable pay rise.
About 200 workers from chambers, the depots, libraries and outlying centres met at corner of Wembley Road and Jacaranda Avenue ahead of today’s full council meeting.
The first of a series of rolling stoppages started with a sausage sizzle before the group gathered to march and rally, attracting beeps of support from passing cars.
Transport Workers’ Union Queensland state secretary Peter Biagini said Logan City employees have waited more than a year for the council to put forward a fair offer that satisfies the needs of hardworking staff.
“After a year of meetings, the council expects its staff it accept a lump sum instead of a real increase to wages,” Mr Biagini.
“For future wage increases, the 2.25 per cent offered is unlikely to keep pace with inflation. “Council workers deserve a real increase to wages without losing conditions, and a fair deal on superannuation.”
“With the Fair Work Commission last week handing down a 3.5 per cent increase to the minimum wage and federal awards, the gap between award wages and bargained agreements has narrowed. That must not happen in local government.
“Logan residents rely on council workers to provide some of the vital services they use every single day. It’s only fair that these workers should be able to rely on their council to do the right thing by them when they need it most.” Workers will continue to negotiate with council for a fairer pay deal, and will continue to take industrial action until a fair deal can be struck.
The council released statements in which it expressed its disappointment in the action called while enterprise bargaining continued.
“The council believes it has put forward a fair, reasonable and affordable offer on the table which would result in council continuing to be very competitive in terms of what it pays its employees and the employment conditions it provides when compared to other councils in southeast Queensland and other employers in Logan City,” a spokesman said.
But Division 5 councillor Jon Raven, who came to council on an ALP ticket, had a different view.
“It just doesn’t seem right. All year, we’re talking these people up, telling them what a wonderful job they do but when it comes determining pay, they’re screwed down to the lowest price possible,” he said.
Australian services union Queensland secretary Neil Henderson said it was time to stop thinking about Hansel, Gretel, speedboats and for the council to find a way to deliver staff a fair go.
