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AN industrial dispute between a pipe manufacturer and a union is threatening Premier Peter Beattie's promise that the state's south-east corner will not run dry.
Tyco Water - contracted to make 80 per cent of the pipes for the south-east water grid - has angered workers by offering reduced penalty rates in a six-day week roster, says the workers' union.
Australian Manufacturing Workers' Union (AMWU) secretary Andrew Dettmer said Tyco had rejected a union proposal to run around-the-clock shifts so the project could be completed ahead of schedule.
Mr Dettmer said that instead it came back with a "take it or leave it" plan for a six-day roster with reduced weekend, overtime and public holiday pay.
He said work on the water grid, scheduled to begin this month, would be significantly delayed by labour shortages if the pay and roster agreement was not reached by then.
Many workers would seek work elsewhere if penalty rates were not guaranteed, he said.
"It is time Tyco put the interests of water-starved south-east Queenslanders first and if they won't, then the state government should intervene and force them to," he said.
A Tyco Water spokesman said he could not comment on whether the dispute would affect the delivery of the pipeline but the company was in negotiations and it was hoped the dispute would soon be resolved.
The dispute comes as Mr Beattie today promised south-east Queenslanders their water supplies would never run dry.
"It doesn't matter what happens - people will have water and I give them that guarantee," Mr Beattie said.
He added his "firm commitment" that all major infrastructure, including the water grid, would be delivered on time to offset the dire drought.
But, he said, it would be "bloody tough".
Figures released this week show inflows into the Wivenhoe Dam system were 83 per cent lower than January last year - previously the worst on record.
Mr Beattie today described the inflows as "pathetic" but said they had been factored into the government's worst case scenario plan to ensure the south-east did not run dry.
He also dismissed calls by the Local Government Association and Commerce Queensland to introduce level five water restrictions immediately, rather than waiting until April 10.
Tyco Water - contracted to make 80 per cent of the pipes for the south-east water grid - has angered workers by offering reduced penalty rates in a six-day week roster, says the workers' union.
Australian Manufacturing Workers' Union (AMWU) secretary Andrew Dettmer said Tyco had rejected a union proposal to run around-the-clock shifts so the project could be completed ahead of schedule.
Mr Dettmer said that instead it came back with a "take it or leave it" plan for a six-day roster with reduced weekend, overtime and public holiday pay.
He said work on the water grid, scheduled to begin this month, would be significantly delayed by labour shortages if the pay and roster agreement was not reached by then.
Many workers would seek work elsewhere if penalty rates were not guaranteed, he said.
"It is time Tyco put the interests of water-starved south-east Queenslanders first and if they won't, then the state government should intervene and force them to," he said.
A Tyco Water spokesman said he could not comment on whether the dispute would affect the delivery of the pipeline but the company was in negotiations and it was hoped the dispute would soon be resolved.
The dispute comes as Mr Beattie today promised south-east Queenslanders their water supplies would never run dry.
"It doesn't matter what happens - people will have water and I give them that guarantee," Mr Beattie said.
He added his "firm commitment" that all major infrastructure, including the water grid, would be delivered on time to offset the dire drought.
But, he said, it would be "bloody tough".
Figures released this week show inflows into the Wivenhoe Dam system were 83 per cent lower than January last year - previously the worst on record.
Mr Beattie today described the inflows as "pathetic" but said they had been factored into the government's worst case scenario plan to ensure the south-east did not run dry.
He also dismissed calls by the Local Government Association and Commerce Queensland to introduce level five water restrictions immediately, rather than waiting until April 10.
