What unions want for workers out of new Toowoomba Regional Council enterprise bargaining agreement negotiations

The Toowoomba Regional Council has started negotiations with top unions for the next enterprise bargaining agreements. Here is what one union will be pushing for.

Top unions have started negotiations with the Toowoomba Regional Council over the next enterprise bargaining agreements.

One of the top unions representing the 1600 staff at the Toowoomba Regional Council says it will push for a substantial wage increase and stronger job security in the latest round of enterprise bargaining agreement negotiations.

The council has started talks with several unions collectively to establish a new agreement, with the current deals for indoor and outdoor staff due to expire in June.

The Australian Workers Union, which non-exclusively represents all local government employees and workers, said it had a number of claims it would push for with the council.

“The AWU has commenced bargaining with the Toowoomba Regional Council and has raised a number of claims for negotiation including decent wage increases and improvements to job security, hours of work and allowances,” a spokesman said.

“The AWU looks forward to bargaining in good faith with the council and encourages workers to join the union and have a say at their workplace.”

Council CEO Brian Pidgeon said he was hoping for productive discussions to achieve an outcome before the end of the financial year.

“Negotiations are undertaken in good faith and balance the needs of the organisation, its employees and the community’s service delivery expectations,” he said.

“Existing certified agreements have a nominal expiry date of June 2021, but they remain in operation until new agreements are certified by the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission.

“An initial meeting between negotiating parties has approved enterprise bargaining protocols via a terms of reference document.”

Overall, 10 unions are involved in the negotiations with the council over the EBAs for both the indoor and outdoor workforce.

The current agreements were completed in 2018, and included a 2.5 per cent wage increase every year for outdoor staff, and an increase of 2.2-2.5 per cent for indoor workers.