Page 12 - ETU Journal Autumn 2017

fEATUrE STory > POWER CAMPAIGN
VictOria’s POwer assets ina
fAfter years of neglect, a lack of maintenance and widespread job losses, Victoria’s power industry Iis in crisis.
n the 20 years since privatisation, Victoria’s power distribution companies have let the state’s power assets run down to
a dangerous level. Investment in maintenance has been inadequate, with a reactive maintenance regime having replaced the more prudent preventative approach to maintenance. Priorities are regularly being downgraded, planned maintenance is being held back, short-term band aid fixes are becoming the norm and poor quality equipment is being installed across the network.
As a result, the number of fires caused by distribution assets is up, faults and failures have increased, the condition of assets has been assessed as poor and declining and the level of customer satisfaction is low and falling.
A ticking time-bomb: distribution businesses nonetheless making maintenance workers redundant
fWith the sector sliding into crisis,
it is extraordinary to consider that Victoria’s distribution companies have made up to 900 maintenance workers redundant over the last year.
Highly qualified members are being tossed out of work as the network crumbles. This is a personal tragedy for the workers involved and a critical issue for their union, but it
is also a ticking time-bomb for the Victorian community, few of whom are aware of the parlous state of our power assets.
The ETU has established a campaign team to analyse the issues behind the disgraceful neglect of the network. We’ve undertaken a detailed examination of the condition and state of Victoria’s electrical assets and their potential risk to the Victorian community.
We’ve also produced a video documentary exposing the crisis in the industry and a suite of materials for a high profile public campaign.
Watch this space.
Highly qualified members are being tossed out of work as the network crumbles.
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THE ETU > AUTUMN 2016
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