The Minns Labor Government must act following reports of a “campaign of disruption” by unions, impacting apprentices in Sydney.
Industry leaders have raised serious concerns after former CFMEU officials now with the ETU exercised their right to entry at a Sydney training centre, with NECA NSW and ACT Executive Director Mark Stedfut warning it is a “calculated campaign of disruption that does nothing to benefit those apprentices”.
Shadow Minister for Skills, TAFE and Tertiary Education, Justin Clancy, said apprentices are being caught in the middle — and the Government is failing to step in.
“Our apprentices deserve to be learning their trade in a stable and supportive environment — not caught up in what has been described as a campaign of disruption that does nothing to benefit them,” Mr Clancy said.
“When you have repeated disruption targeting the same group of young workers, it’s clear this has nothing to do with supporting apprentices and everything to do with pushing an agenda.”
Mr Clancy said the issue goes to the heart of the state’s skills crisis.
“Only around half of apprentices in New South Wales complete their training — and yet we are allowing disruption that makes it even harder for them to stay engaged and finish,” he said.
Mr Clancy said the Minns Government cannot claim to be rebuilding TAFE and skills while failing to protect apprentices on the ground.
“This is the test — will the Government stand up for apprentices, or will it stand back and allow this disruption to continue?” he said.
“If the Government is serious about fixing skills shortages, it must start by protecting apprentices — because without them, there is no pipeline.”
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