For the first time in a decade, UGL employees at Georgetown have taken part in a strike for a fairer wage increase.
Around 1pm on Wednesday, July 5, 200 members of the Australian Manufacturing Workers' Union (AMWU) and the Electrical Trades Union (ETU) put their tools down and chose to take part in protected industrial action over negotiations of their enterprise agreement.
Newcastle AMWU state organiser Tim Jackson said negotiations had been ongoing since December 2022 and despite going "reasonably well" there was still room for improvement.
"Both parties have been genuine in their approach. I think we're at the pointy end at this stage now, where wages have become the most important component of the negotiations," he said.
"The company are at a peak of what they believe is a reasonable offer and our members for both the AMWU and ETU believe those wage offers should be slightly higher."
He said the wages employees were fighting for were to keep up with cost of living pressures.
"Bills, food, fuel, power - bills are absolutely crippling local workers," he said.
"If they're going to try to achieve a reasonable outcome to support and assist or reduce that burden, these are the opportunities they need to take."
In line with their rights under the Fair Work Act the workers sought action for further discussions and Mr Jackson said the next steps are to still be decided.
"Ultimately we're there to negotiate in good faith with the company and any further actions at this stage are really up to the membership and where they would like to go next," he said,
UGL were contacted and declined to comment.
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