The Fair Work Commission (FWC) has announced a framework for AGL Loy Yang and the CFMEU to move forward in the long-running bargaining dispute on the company’s Enterprise Agreement.

AGL Loy Yang General Manager, Steve Rieniets, said AGL Loy Yang has been negotiating a new Enterprise Agreement since late July 2015 and believes that it should have been possible to get agreement by now.

We are seeking an agreement that balances the long-term interests of the AGL Loy Yang business, its employees, the community, and electricity customers. That process has been frustrated by a series of unrealistic claims by unions that add unnecessary costs, reduce productivity and further restrict how the business is run.

We are not prepared to accept these unrealistic claims, even with the threat of industrial action which could risk security of the state’s electricity supply,” Mr Rieniets said.

As part of the FWC process, AGL Loy Yang has agreed that it will not initiate any action to terminate the current Agreement and the unions have agreed that they will not initiate any protected action during the period to 6 July 2016.

A series of conciliation conferences have been scheduled for June and early July. 

The FWC is yet to make a ruling on the CFMEU’s second Protection Action Ballot Order (PABO) application, which concluded on Friday 10 June.

About AGL

AGL is one of Australia’s leading integrated energy companies. It is taking action to responsibly reduce its greenhouse gas emissions while providing secure and affordable energy to its customers. Drawing on over 175 years of experience, AGL serves its customers throughout eastern Australia with meeting their energy requirements, including gas, electricity, solar PV and related products and services. AGL has a diverse power generation portfolio including base, peaking and intermediate generation plants, spread across traditional thermal generation as well as renewable sources including hydro, wind, solar, landfill gas and biomass.