It pays to be united

The O'Farrell government has ignored its own pre-election commitment to form two companies from the three state-owned electricity distributors - Ausgrid, Essential Energy and Endeavour Energy - and instead will maintain all three companies with a new "Mothership" structure.

The USU will be reviewing the plan approved by state cabinet when further details are available, however we remind our members that the individual organisations affected by this plan still have obligations to consult with their workforce regarding major workplace change.

The USU will contact the three organisations seeking to establish appropriate forums to discuss the implications of the government's proposals in establishing what has been reported through the media as a single entity structure or "Mothership" (see below)

Details of the plan are yet to be released and the USU is keen to acquire information on the proposal. At this stage the organisations themselves would also be seeking the proposed directions of the O'Farrell government.

• The USU will pursue the matter with every intention of protecting current members' conditions of employment and entitlements.

• The USU will commit to relaying communications to all affected members with updates as they come to light.

The USU will rally all political parties, especially those that have concern for regional employment. On the face of the current media reports it appears that any savings could see employment in jeopardy, in particular in vulnerable regional areas. When centralising functions, regional employment seems to wear the brunt of it.

The USU will call on our members to help support a process of communication and will establish our own strategies for dealing with the current state government's proposals for the energy industry.

Now is the time to join your Union to protect your working conditions.

Attachments:

Download pdf of update here

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