Saturday, November 01, 2008

Protest against NSW power sell-off

United Services Union (USU) members protested against the state's retail electricity sell-off outside the ALP country conference in Port Macquarie.

NSW Premier Nathan Rees is expected to address the meeting before visiting the Port Macquarie Hospital on the NSW mid-north coast.

The NSW ALP on Friday gave Mr Rees the green light to sell off the state's electricity retailers.

USU spokesman Scott McNamara said about 2,000 retail electricity workers' jobs could be lost throughout NSW.

"If retail gets sold, you no longer have call centres in Port Macquarie and regional-based areas, and the intimate service regional people currently get will no longer exist," Mr McNamara said.

About 250 jobs would be lost in Port Macquarie and potentially 2,000 jobs would be lost statewide, he said.

"This is the first step, we've been campaigning on this issue for over a year, we intend to take the government's package back to our membership after the meeting and seek further direction," he said.

The union had put up alternative proposals to the government, he said.

"By simply selling off one branch, it is simply the first step to further privatisation and the first step to reducing the government's income stream," he said.

"We've suggested some reforms to make the electricity sector stronger so it's more competitive in the market."

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