Members of The Services Union working at Noosa Council will take their fourth strike action this Thursday 1 May, as part of their ongoing campaign for fair pay and improved working conditions.
This half-day strike action follows three previous rounds of industrial action and continues the fight for a fair wage increase after a disappointing meeting with the Noosa Council chief executive officer Larry Sengstock last week.
Lead organiser Tom Rivers said that while the meeting with Mr Sengstock was positioned as a good faith effort to resolve the wage dispute, it soon became clear that Noosa Council had no intention of moving from its entrenched position.
“Despite the CEO’s claim that the meeting was to ‘expedite an agreed position’, Council is still offering an inadequate wage increase,” Mr Rivers said.
“The CEO presented Council’s financial constraints, but the facts speak for themselves: Noosa Council has $120.9 million in cash reserves, a 20 per cent vacancy rate, and a 16.2 per cent staff turnover rate.
”The Council’s position is simply not sustainable and risks further destabilising an already overburdened workforce,” Mr Rivers said.
The strike will take place from 12:30pm onwards at Hastings Street, with members rallying at Lions Park.
“Council’s refusal to use its substantial cash reserves to address wage increases is unjustifiable, especially given the threat of further staff losses,” Mr Rivers said.
“Our Union is also frustrated with Council’s intention to push the matter to arbitration but despite this, our members will not be backing down.
“Our members work tirelessly every day, providing vital services to their community and they deserve a living wage which reflects the cost of living in Noosa and is on par with other councils,” Mr Rivers said
