Ballarat City Council workers vote no

03 April 2024

Ballarat City Council workers have overwhelmingly voted no to the proposed enterprise agreement that would entrench poor pay and remove hard won conditions.

The City of Ballarat’s workers are among the lowest-paid council employees in Victoria, with other nearby councils paying up to $150 per week for the same work bands.

Both Bendigo and Geelong council wages are at least $2 or more per hour higher, while even a small neighbouring shire like Moorabool looks after their workers better. Wages are higher for workers at Warrnambool, Horsham, Mildura, Shepparton, Wodonga and Latrobe councils.

Comparing Ballarat to another council growth zone like Wyndham, the wage disparity is even greater. A band 3 worker in Wyndham - these are the people who work in jobs like childcare, waste, depot, and leisure services – will earn $150 a week more than their counterpart in Ballarat.

The City of Ballarat posted a $76 million surplus in 2023.

Congratulations to ASU members at Ballarat for standing up and voting down a dodgy agreement. The ASU has recently made an application to the Fair Work Commission to take industrial action at Ballarat City Council. The Protected Action Ballot vote will take place over the coming weeks and close in late April. We are back at the bargaining table in late April to recommence bargaining.