Staff at Hydro Tasmania have voted overwhelmingly to take industrial action as wage disputes reach boiling point.
Employees at Hydro Tasmania, including engineers and hydrologists, will begin industrial action in coming weeks after negotiations stalled over pay that has failed to keep pace with inflation.
Pierce Tyson, National Energy Lead at Professionals Australia, said workers have reached breaking point after years of effective pay cuts.
“The dam has burst. Our members are highly skilled professionals who’ve been patient and reasonable, but there’s only so long you can tread water when your wages are going backwards,” Tyson said.
The union represents specialist and white-collar staff who they claim have received below-inflation pay increases since 2020, amounting to year-on-year real wage reductions despite increasing workloads.
“Our members have kept Hydro Tasmania running through COVID, climate challenges and increasing demands on Tasmania’s energy system,” Tyson said.
“While workloads have risen, pay has gone underwater.”
The Communications, Electrical and Plumbing Union will join the industrial action after its members also voted to proceed with their own measures.
“Hydro Tasmania needs to come back to the table with a fair offer that recognises the value and contribution of its people,” Tyson said.
“Last one out of the Tasmanian Government turn off the lights – while the Liberal Government fights over the scraps of the election, workers that generate over 90% of Tassie’s electricity are being left high and dry,” he said.
Professionals Australia has called on both Hydro Tasmania and the Tasmanian Government to intervene with a fair offer that recognises workers’ contributions.
Hydro Tasmania earlier this month said they are continuing in enterprise agreement negotiations, with their latest offer to see an annual base salary increase of 2.4% in 2025.
