3 days ago
Noosa Council workers locked in pay stoush in expensive holiday destination
A dispute over a new pay agreement for workers who help keep one of Australia's most popular holiday destinations moving has been stretching on for months.
Multiple bouts of strike action by Noosa Council workers since February have been responded to with lockouts, or threats of lockouts, from council management.
At least half a dozen union-aligned workers have been locked out of work until Monday, June 9, the unions said.
That industrial action has meant some services such as pothole repairs and bin collections have not been completed.
Noosa Council said it was working hard to maintain a balance between workers' rights and service delivery for residents.
The Queensland Industrial Relations Commission has also become involved, with a meeting scheduled for Friday morning which led to a new offer from council which will go to union members for consultation.
Prior to the meeting, Noosa Council CEO Larry Sengstock said its offer was fair and reflected increases in cost-of-living.
About 200 staff members at Noosa Council are represented by either The Services Union or the Australian Workers' Union.
Both unions have said they were hoping for a pay rise of at least 15 per cent over three years.
They said that would bring Noosa Council salaries more on par with other local councils, including nearby Gympie, where the cost-of-living was lower.
Tom Rivers, from The Services Union, said it used to be accepted that salaries were lower in Noosa because it was traditionally seen as such a good place to live that it was worth it.
But with the median house price in Noosa Heads exceeding $2 million or $1.3 million in the shire, according to CoreLogic data from 2024, Mr Rivers said that was no longer fair.
"It was always casually thrown around in Noosa that you're working and living in paradise, you don't need to get paid as much," he said.
An outdoor worker at Noosa Council on a band 4 would be earning about $61,000 a year.
At nearby Gympie, the same role would attract $68,000.
"Even at the top end of the [agreement], we're still not talking about that much money for living in such an expensive town," Mr Rivers said.
Michael Anderson from the Australian Workers' Union said the council's figures showed 30 per cent of their workers could not afford to live in the shire.
Many lived closer to inland towns such as Gympie where housing was more affordable.
Earlier this year, Noosa Council offered a pay rise of 15 per cent over three years and four months.
"A lot of our members are quite disgruntled by that extra four months," Mr Rivers said.
With Noosa Council looking unlikely to move, Mr Rivers said that could mean the prospect of further industrial action.
Last week, the unions took their call for higher wages to the public, doorknocking and talking to residents.
Mr Rivers said that had garnered a largely positive response, with the public mostly sympathetic to the unions' calls.
Mr Anderson agreed.
He said that extended to people understanding that rates would need to increase.
"They understand that workers need and require a livable wage," he said.
On the other hand, Mr Anderson said it has been "extremely difficult" to deal with the council throughout the process.
"Many of our members have experienced intimidation from … managers," he said.
He said in his experience, although lockouts were a "normal tactic", Noosa Council's approach had so far been at the "extreme end" of an employer's response.
Mr Rivers said the council's reaction had seemed "disproportionate" at times.
He said he had also heard members were concerned about staff retention rates, as many came and went within a couple of months, increasing workload for others and having an impact on morale.
Mr Sengstock denied the council has been trying to "intimidate" workers throughout the protracted industrial action by imposing and threatening lockouts.
"Our normal services have been suffering, and the residents are now starting to recognise that and demand their services are taken up," he said.
"It's a balancing act. I'm really trying to look after our staff, but also, you know, I've got to be conscious of delivering the services that our residents are paying for."
In a statement, a spokesperson for Noosa Council said it was "committed" to reaching a solution, and would respond to unions' claims in meetings with the commission.
