Members of PeoplePower Blue Mountains descended from the hills to rally in support of employees at the head office of Electricity retailer Integral Energy in Huntingwood, near Blacktown in Western Sydney.
Gerry Binder, Jules Vovos, Peter Hack and Phil Doyle joined with about 50 Integral employees and local residents to oppose the merging of Integral with electricity generator Eraring.
The vertical integration is designed to fatten the calf before it's sold off on the privatisation market. The rally, which was well supported by passing traffic and Integral employees, was also attended by Blacktown state MP Paul Gibson and Greens MLC John Kaye.
(L to R) Gerry Binder, Jules Vovos, Phil and Michelle (from Integral Energy) and Peter Hack outside the Integral Energy HQ at Huntingwood.
PeoplePower Press Release
Integral Jobs Threatened by Privatisation
Blue Mountains residents travelled to the headquarters of Integral
Energy last Friday to oppose moves by the State Government to ready
the electricity retailer for privatisation.
They joined over 50 Integral Energy workers and Western Sydney
residents at a protest outside the Huntingwood Head office against the
merging of the Blue Mountains' leading electricity provider with
electricity generator Eraring.
"This is all about fattening the electricity calf before the
sell-off," said Phil Doyle from PeoplePower Blue Mountains. "Morris
Iemma is on notice that we will leave no stone unturned until this
ill-thought through privatisation is stopped."
A spokesman for the Integral workers, Scott Macnamara, said that jobs
would be threatened and bills would rise as a result of the State
Government's privatisation push.
"Prices are going to go up," said Macnamara. "But in the hands of the
private sector, we will see electricity prices soar."
The rally, which was well supported by passing traffic, was also
attended by MPs including Greens MLC Dr John Kaye.
Dr Kaye is joining a range of experts in Katoomba this Sunday to
discuss the future of Blue Mountains electricity supply.
He will be joined by renewable energy expert, Dr Mark Diesendorf; Rex
Drummond, who works for electricity generator Delta Electricity; as
well as other experts in the science, technology, economics and
politics of the energy debate.
"This is a great chance for the Blue Mountains community to find out
the facts about the future of our electricity supply before the lights
go out," said Doyle.
The forum will be held at Katoomba Civic Centre from 1-4pm on Sunday
August 10 and admission is free.
More information is available on the new PeoplePower Blue Mountains
website at peoplepowerbm.blogspot.com or email:
peoplepowerbm@gmail.com.
Integral Jobs Threatened by Privatisation
Blue Mountains residents travelled to the headquarters of Integral
Energy last Friday to oppose moves by the State Government to ready
the electricity retailer for privatisation.
They joined over 50 Integral Energy workers and Western Sydney
residents at a protest outside the Huntingwood Head office against the
merging of the Blue Mountains' leading electricity provider with
electricity generator Eraring.
"This is all about fattening the electricity calf before the
sell-off," said Phil Doyle from PeoplePower Blue Mountains. "Morris
Iemma is on notice that we will leave no stone unturned until this
ill-thought through privatisation is stopped."
A spokesman for the Integral workers, Scott Macnamara, said that jobs
would be threatened and bills would rise as a result of the State
Government's privatisation push.
"Prices are going to go up," said Macnamara. "But in the hands of the
private sector, we will see electricity prices soar."
The rally, which was well supported by passing traffic, was also
attended by MPs including Greens MLC Dr John Kaye.
Dr Kaye is joining a range of experts in Katoomba this Sunday to
discuss the future of Blue Mountains electricity supply.
He will be joined by renewable energy expert, Dr Mark Diesendorf; Rex
Drummond, who works for electricity generator Delta Electricity; as
well as other experts in the science, technology, economics and
politics of the energy debate.
"This is a great chance for the Blue Mountains community to find out
the facts about the future of our electricity supply before the lights
go out," said Doyle.
The forum will be held at Katoomba Civic Centre from 1-4pm on Sunday
August 10 and admission is free.
More information is available on the new PeoplePower Blue Mountains
website at peoplepowerbm.blogspot.com or email:
peoplepowerbm@gmail.com.
Here's how ABC reported it:
Electricity merger 'will cause job losses'
The United Services Union says jobs will be lost when Integral Energy is merged with Eraring Energy ahead of the New South Wales Government's electricity privatisation.
Union spokesman Scott Macnamara says workers are protesting outside Integral Energy at Huntingwood in Sydney's west.
Mr Macnamara says the workers are not convinced they will be protected.
"The employment protections that the Government has spoken about we do not believe to be guaranteed for this process," he said.
"They're currently transferring, forcibly transferring, 70 staff as of today into the new company. It flies in the face of their guarantees saying that staff could stay with the state-owned corporation."
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