Gold Coast's largest ever strike

GOLD COAST — Hotels and tourist operators on the Gold Coast have been using the recession as an excuse to apply the thumbscrews to hospitality workers. The industry is cutting wages and hours, forcing redundancies and pressuring those who manage to keep their jobs to work even harder to cover for their lost workmates. Now it appears Gold Coast City Council intends to do the same.

More than 2000 Gold Coast City Council workers will strike for 24 hours on August 25 after their meagre request for a 4% pay rise with no forced redundancies was rejected by Council CEO Dale Dickson.

News.com.au said on August 1, Queensland Services Union's lead negotiator David Perry said union members had agreed to reduce the rise they bargained for from between 4.5% and 5% to 4%. When that offer was rejected by council, members voted unanimously to strike, the website said on August 20. Essential services will not be affected by the strike, which will be the Gold Coast's largest ever.

From GLW issue 808