August 27, 2014
The Electrical Trades Union says the State Government has left Ergon Energy workers in limbo since the release of the Independent Review Panel Report Into Network Costs almost two years ago.
An interim version of the report, released in November 2012, recommended that Ergon depots with between 8 and 15 employees be replaced by a “local service agent”. These recommendations were then confirmed in a final report in 2013.
ETU State Organiser Stuart Traill said the government’s silence about the social impacts of the privatisation was telling.
“We have a government that, despite promising to be transparent and consultative is leaving a large proportion of the Ergon workforce and their communities in a state of limbo, unsure about the future of their jobs and vital regional infrastructure,” he said.
Mr Traill said if the recommendations were implemented, up to 40 Ergon depots could close.
“These recommendations if implemented in a private sector environment will leave workers and their communities exposed to massive job cuts, compromised service, huge price spikes and compromised safety as private companies will seek to maximize their profits,” he said.
The ETU supplied a list of Ergon depots which its says have between eight and 15 staff. It includes three in the South Burnett: Murgon, Yarraman and Kilkivan.
Ergon Energy’s depot in Proston closed in 2013.
