Fair Work Commission orders end to industrial action at Endeavour Energy

A major energy company said the declaration quashing the industrial action — which has delayed a number of projects in Western Sydney — “will bring relief” to customers.

Striking sparkies causing chaos for a major energy company have been forced back to work, ending a 10-month pay dispute that has prevented families moving into new homes and threatened to delay infrastructure projects.

The Daily Telegraph can reveal that the Electrical Trade Union’s (ETU’s) “protected industrial action” at Endeavour Energy has been quashed, following a decision by the industrial umpire.

The Fair Work Commission (FWC) on Wednesday issued an “intractable bargaining declaration” on the dispute between the ETU and Endeavour, ending industrial action by the union.

The decision will send sparkies back to work on a range of developments in Western Sydney including housing and major projects.

However, there are still fears that the union’s industrial action could impact major state projects including the southwest Metro.

The Lumia development in the Hills District is one building impacted by the ETU work bans. Picture: Jeremy Piper

Endeavour and the ETU will now be forced into a 14-day negotiation period. If no agreement is reached, parties will then head into mediation.

Endeavour said the declaration “will bring relief to customers and developers trying to safely connect homes, businesses, Federal and State Significant Projects, hospitals and social housing to its network”.

Urban Taskforce CEO Tom Forrest welcomed the declaration in an email to members on Wednesday.

“It is expected that the PIA will not be reinstated, but this is a decision for the Fair Work Commission,” Mr Forrest said in the update.

John Hunter hospital has also been held up by the ETU’s industrial action.

While the ETU has been forced to drop its actions targeting Endeavour, disputes with other companies – Ausgrid, Transgrid, and Essential Energy – are ongoing.

It is understood the declaration will not have an impact on work on the Southwest Metro conversion – where ETU members have refused to turn off high voltage power lines.

The ETU has been locked in a pay dispute with major energy companies for 10 months, with members repeatedly rejecting upgraded pay offers.

In its statement, Endeavour said that members had most recently rejected a $6,500 upfront payment and a 15.7 per cent pay rise over four years.

The ETU said that it made the application to get an “intractable bargaining” declaration.

“This is just the beginning of the legal path to get the arbitrated decision,” a spokeswoman said.

The content summaries were created with the assistance of AI technology, then edited and approved for publication by an editor.