The Services Union is calling on Brisbane City Council (BCC) to pass on a fair wage increase to its workforce to ease the financial pressures on Council workers, their families and local communities.
The union claims cost-of-living increases are making it harder for workers to make ends meet whilst budget cuts and constant change are creating an increasingly uncertain and fractured working environment.
BCC is currently at the table engaging with union stakeholders for a new Certified Agreement. The Union is running a petition to BCC asking the public to support worker’s claims.
BCC is Australia’s largest local government authority and one of Brisbane’s biggest employers. Workers are asking the public to help send a message that in uncertain times, the economic well-being of its workforce is a top priority.
Recent discussions focused on a claim for a 36-hour week. The union asserts that workers already deliver more than enough productivity through ongoing workplace changes, restructures, Machinery of Council Change (restructuring), and AI trials.
TSU also reiterated that Council’s wage offer of 3.25% ($62 per week) in Year 1 and 3% in Years 2 & 3 is simply not enough to keep up with the rising cost of living.
Council has been asked to respond to the 36-hour week claim at the next bargaining meeting on 21 July.
The bargaining update comes just weeks after Council Opposition Leader Jared Cassidy highlighted the plight of Council’s library workers in his budget reply speech.
“Today, library staffing rates are at their lowest level since the State Library of Queensland starting compiling stats in 2010.”
“LNP cuts have consequences. 88% of staff surveyed say they have experienced a decline in quality of services they can deliver.”
“92% of staff surveyed said their workload is unsustainable or overwhelming.”
“86% of staff said their workload has negatively impacted their health, safety and wellbeing.”
“Is this the standard we accept for Brisbane? For our workforce?”
The petition to BCC is still open and can be signed here.
