Ausgrid announces 230 job cuts, front line workers not affected
Ausgrid has revealed it will cut management and backroom positions as part of a plan to axe 500 jobs by 2024.
NSW
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Ausgrid has announced it will cut management and 230 backroom positions as part of a plan to axe 500 jobs by 2024.
The poles and wires provider was already on a collision course with the energy unions over plans to outsource maintenance even before the job cuts were revealed.
Ausgrid chief executive Richard Gross said today’s announcement would not affect any frontline jobs.
“This is a really tough decision, and one that we don’t make lightly,” he said. “We have challenges to face financially, and we have been open and upfront about that for nearly two years.”
Ausgrid had already announced plans to cut a further 500 jobs on top of the 5000 shed since privatisation in 2015.
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A survey of Electrical Trades Union members in August found three quarters were prepared to take industrial action over job cuts – putting summer electricity supply at risk.
Mr Gross said: “This proposed restructure will mostly impact our management teams and back office staff, no frontline jobs will be cut.
“This means staff working on the poles and wires and in the customer call centre will not be reduced as part of this restructure,” he said.
Mr Gross said there were no surprises in today’s announcement because talks with staff and the unions about reducing labour costs had been happening over the last 18 months.
“We have been open and honest that reducing our labour costs was also going to be necessary,” he said.
Mr Gross said the redundancies were necessary “to keep the lights on for households” and make “energy as affordable as possible.”
Originally published as Ausgrid announces 230 job cuts, front line workers not affected