Endeavour Energy plans to outsource electricity connection and disconnection field officer positions, according to the United Services Union (USU). The Union group claims this will put ‘scores’ of jobs at risk and affect supply reliability for NSW residents.
The USU said the decision to outsource these positions was announced a week after Energy Minister Chris Hartcher made a promise that no jobs would be lost as a result of the merger.
According to the USU, Endeavour Energy is also planning to outsource jobs in civil maintenance of substations, bulk meterage and security.
Scott McNamara, USU Energy Manager, called on Endeavour to scrap its plans for outsourcing jobs, claiming that it will affect NSW residents’ energy supply. The USU has declared its intent to fight Endeavour’s plans “using every means at its disposal”.
“The State Energy Minister promised as recently as Sunday that no front line jobs would be affected by the merger of energy distributors, but it appears Endeavour Energy CEO Vince Graham did not receive the memo,” said Mr McNamara.
“These jobs will be lost in Western Sydney and the Illawarra - both regions that are already suffering from the sluggish economy.”
“At the end of the day, job cuts equal service cuts,” Mr McNamara concluded.
Unions NSW has predicted thousands of job cuts as a result of the merger and urged the government to “consider the human impact” of cutbacks.
View article: Energy merger risks thousands of jobs, claims Unions NSW