City boss: strikers can spend day away

CAIRNS Regional Council staff who go on strike this morning have been told not to come back to work for the rest of the day.

Services Union organiser Jeanine Orzani said most aggrieved employees were likely to take part in a two-hour strike outside the Spence St council chambers from 8am. She said council chief executive officer John Andrejic “is telling them they’re going to be locked out if they take the action”.

A council spokeswoman said the union had advised its action would take place “on and from Thursday” with no end date stipulated to the approved protected action.

“Therefore, any member of the Services Union who chooses to participate in this action in work time will be asked to leave the premises until such time council receives advice from the union that action has ceased,” she said.

The council has previously estimated about 30 per cent of its 1200-strong workforce were union members, but Ms Orzani refuted the figure.

“Maybe for indoor staff, but there’s a whole lot of union members who work in the outdoor areas,” she said.

“I know the ETU have got 100 per cent membership.”

Council workers are fighting for increases to their base rate backdated to 2014. Unions have so far refused to put the council’s wage offers to a vote.