20 Casual Contact Center Employees at Essential Energy recently received great news with Essential Energy offering them Permanent Part Time Employment. A further 2 fulltime positions were also offered as well with applications for these 2 positions currently being processed.
The Casual to Permanent offerings came after a 7-year process where the USU and Essential Energy agreed that the best path forward towards permanent work was to employ Casuals directly into Essential Energy. Before this, the employees were employed through a Labour Hire Agency, and then would have to compete with all outside candidates to apply for Permanent work. By employing them directly, Essential could then train them up and then allow them to apply for positions within the organisation. This has proved to be very successful, with many new positions over the years being filled by the Casuals who were working in the Contact Center.
The offering of the 20 positions shows what we as union people have always known- that direct employment works. When employers can directly employ over Labour Hire, they can then turn their efforts towards training, and reap rewards of top-quality candidates.
USU member Harriett Hipwell was one of the successful Casual Employees who received an offering of Permanent Part Time Employment. Harriett says that now she has certainty over her wages and can plan for things now like holidays with her family, as she will now receive pro rata annual leave days. Harriett also has the opportunity to increase her days per week from 3 days to 4 which she is considering taking up.
The USU is proud to be able to take part in this exciting opportunity for members.
