Work bans could turn off taps

TASWATER workers taking industrial action have warned Tasmanian residents their water supply could be affected by the work bans which started on Thursday.

The Australian Services Union said TasWater customers were likely to experience service disruption as workers took protected industrial action, including a ban on using computers and mobile phones and not creating work orders and service requests..

TasWater CEO Mike Brewster said customers could be assured TasWater would be there in the face of an emergency or fault, despite the industrial action.

It comes after TasWater workers rejected management’s proposed enterprise agreements covering staff in the North-West, South, and North as well as senior TasWater employees.

“So strong was opposition to TasWater’s offers, one proposed enterprise agreement received support from just 13 per cent of employees who would be covered by it,” the union said.

ASU Vic Tas secretary Lisa Darmanin said any further disruption could be avoided by TasWater negotiating with unions on employees’ legitimate demands.

“This disruptive industrial action could have been avoided if TasWater had chosen to make a fair wage offer and addresses workers’ legitimate concerns,” Ms Darmanin said.

TasWater’s Mr Brewer said the business was committed to returning to the negotiating table.