Toowoomba indoor council workers, Services Union ready to take snap action over ongoing pay dispute

Residents should prepare for disruptions to council’s operations, with members of the organisation’s 700-strong indoor workforce ready to take snap action over an ongoing pay dispute.

Union officials have warned the Toowoomba Regional Council that “snap strike action” is coming if it doesn’t come back with a better pay offer for its workers.

The Services Union, which represents more than 700 indoor workers at the council, say members are prepared to escalate actions that will cause sudden disruptions to the organisation.

It comes just a few days after TSU members and staff held their third round of protected action to protest protracted enterprise bargaining negotiations.

The workforce is demanding a three-year pay rise package of eight, six and five per cent, as well as commitments to close the demonstrated gender pay gap within the organisation.

The Services Union organised a stop-work meeting outside city hall to protest against Toowoomba Regional Council, Tuesday, August 20, 2024.

The TSU alleges Toowoomba indoor staff are among the lowest-paid workers among comparable Queensland councils.

The council’s current offer features a six per cent increase in the first year, followed by five and four per cent pay rises in subsequent years.

The union has also demanded a meeting with chief executive Brian Pidgeon.

TSU organiser John Denny said protesters at Tuesday’s march, which ran for as long as four hours, were now prepared to engage in stop-work action without prior notice.

“The other thing we’re going to do is snap action and the council can’t prepare for that,” he said.

“Theoretically you might have an area strongly unionised (and) what that might look like is members get to work at 8am and at 9am, decide to take an hour or two of industrial action.

“We don’t have to give any notice under our protected action.”

The Services Union senior organiser John Denny at a stop-work meeting outside city hall to protest against Toowoomba Regional Council, Tuesday, August 20, 2024. Picture: Kevin Farmer

Mr Denny said residents should start to see disruptions at a time when families are getting ready to pay rates and the council continues to prepare for the Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers.

“Expect disruptions, because members made it very clear that they still want to fight on,” he said.

“We had a show of hands around further action and it was unanimous — we’ve not had one member contact us to say what we’re doing is not right.

“We’re member-run, so the members are the ones that decide on the next steps.”

In response, the council said Mr Pidgeon’s previous comments that the TRC’s offer was “fair and reasonable” still applied.

“Council has proposed a six per cent increase to base wages in year one, five per cent in year two and four per cent in year three, which is consistent with council’s financial sustainability parameters,” he said.

“This equates to a 15.75 per cent cumulative increase in base pay across the three years of the agreement.

“Council is maintaining its position that this is a very fair and reasonable offer and is acceptable to the majority of employees and our ratepayers.”