Snowy 2.0 tunnelling workers to walk off job over pay and conditions

Australia Broadcast Center

20-05-2025

More than 1,000 workers on the multi-billion-dollar Snowy 2.0 pumped hydro project plan to strike on Wednesday over demands for improved pay and working conditions.
The industrial action comes after the union entered negotiations with the companies employer SC Hydro, demanding an up to 12 per cent pay increase for the project's tunnel workers.
Australian Workers' Union NSW branch secretary Tony Callinan said he wants rates to be brought in line with those working on North East Link Tunnels in Melbourne.
Clough, a subsidiary of Italian-owned company WeBuild, is involved with both Snowy Hydro and the Melbourne based-project.
"People doing the same work in the same industry, even for the same employer, should get the same rate of pay," he said.
"They make a choice to work on that project, that's correct, and they're also choosing to exercise their right now to fight for better wages and conditions."
Mr Callinan said the employer countered with an offer for a 7.5 per cent up-front pay rise which was declined.
Among the demands is a $140 daily camp allowance for fly-in fly-out (FIFO) workers, doubling night shift rates, and two mental health days per year for employees.
The union has also demanded that workers are flown in and out of Canberra instead of Cooma airport, improvements to food served to workers, and an approximately 15 per cent increase to the $23 meal allowance provided when workers work overtime unexpectedly.
In 2023, SafeWork NSW investigated food hygiene on site after maggots were allegedly found in meals served to workers.
Mr Callinan said Australian Workers Union delegates notified of their intention to commence a stop work action last Thursday, after engaging in more than a dozen regular meetings since January.
"They're getting frustrated either by no response or by responses that don't meet their expectations," he said.
"Then they have to go back to their crews and and explain what happened at the meeting.
"Our union delegates are the meat in the sandwich."
The Snowy 2.0 project is expected to provide up to 2.2 gigawatts of electricity to the national grid once completed.
The controversial project is anticipated to start delivering power in late 2027 following a string of setbacks.
Work on the $12 billion project stopped in January when concerns were raised about the status of "last resort" chambers, designed to be used in an emergency when workers were unable to evacuate.
Underground work was also halted again for three weeks in late February after a ventilation fan imploded on site and sent metal shrapnel flying through the air.
Union representatives will meet with involved parties for their routine meeting on Wednesday.
Mr Callinan said the union workers would consider further strike action if demands were not met.
"Our members and delegates are currently planning and discussing strategies to put more pressure on the company to come to the table and accept the offer," he said.
The ABC has contacted Clough, WeBuild and Snowy Hydro for comment.