Unions take industrial action at UGL Newcastle

Mambers of major trade unions the ETU and AMWU members have hit railway engineering firm UGL’s Newcastle operations as they escalated their dispute over pay.

More than 120 workers at the locomotive manufacturing and rail maintenance site at Broadmeadow, Newcastle walked off the job again on Friday to fight for fair pay, according to a union statement.

The staff including electrical and mechanical trades stopped work for 24 hours after another 60 workers stopped work early Thursday morning, following the start of protected industrial action in early July.

ETU NSW/ACT Branch Secretary Allen Hicks said: “Union members are determined to continue with industrial action at the Broadmeadow and Hamilton North plants until they get a fair deal.”

Members are being paid $7 less an hour than their peers at competing companies according to the statement, and want an 18 per cent pay rise over three years.

UGL was once a major manufacturer of rolling stock, however in recent years has been confined to long-term rolling stock maintenance contracts as the NSW offshored purchases.

However the company is involved in numerous rail upgrading and maintenance contracts, as well as manufacturing heavy haul locomotives (pictured).

During the 2023 state election Opposition Leader, and now NSW Premier Chris Minns, promised to return rail manufacturing to the state.

However the future of the Broadmeadow site is complicated as it has been rezoned for development as housing.

The ETU’s Hicks said the current EBA expired in April and members have been negotiating with the company for eight months.

“The ball is in UGL’s court to improve its inadequate offer that fails to keep pace with remuneration offered by its competitors.

“Our members just want to take home pay commensurate with their industry peers, and that lets them provide for their families and pay the bills as the cost of living bites.

“UGL has said it is struggling to attract and retain workers because of low pay. A no-brainer way to keep workers on is to pay them properly.”

Hicks said it was time for UGL to scrap its ‘wholly inadequate pay offer’.

UGL, part of the Civmec engineering group, has made no comment on the dispute.”

Picture: UGL/UGL’s C44 series locomotive is designed and manufactured in Australia