AWU members at Parks Victoria set to act this long weekend unless reclassification is resolved today 

Frontline Parks Victoria AWU members are prepared to take protected industrial action over the long weekend, with the outcome resting on the result of negotiations today. The Australian Workers’ Union is calling on management to come to the table with a genuine commitment to resolving the ongoing dispute over ranger reclassification and pay.

The dispute follows more than 12 months of negotiations in which Parks Victoria management has yet to put a credible offer on the table for workers responsible for maintaining and protecting Victoria’s most visited parks, reserves and natural landscapes.

The AWU has put forward a pathway to resolve the dispute, with the key outstanding matter being the scope of the classification review. Whether action proceeds over the long weekend will depend on whether management commits to that pathway when talks continue later today.  Members who would take part include rangers and operational staff who build and maintain park infrastructure, carry out rescues, respond to emergencies, protect wildlife, and keep parks safe and accessible for the millions of Victorians who use them each year.

“These workers are the reason our parks stay safe, clean and open. They do complex, hands-on work and they have been waiting far too long for management to properly recognise it,” said AWU Victoria Secretary Ronnie Hayden. “Rangers do not want to ruin anyone’s weekend. That is not what this is about. This is about Parks Victoria management making a decision to properly reward workers who consistently deliver for this state. That decision sits with the executives, and it always has.”

If the action proceeds, it will include bans on enforcement activities, cleaning of park amenities and facilities, and rubbish collection, as well as the closure of selected sites.

Sites that may be affected in the Colac and Otways region include:

• Addis Bay Picnic Ground
• Jamieson Campground
• Sheoak Falls Carpark
• Allenvale Campground
• Allenvale Carpark
• Sheoak Picnic Ground Upper and Lower Carparks
• Blanket Leaf Picnic Ground
• Erskine Falls Access Road
• Big Hill Campground

AWU Organiser Lisa Pearce said the strength of feeling among members reflected how long the issue had been left unresolved.

“Our members are proud of what they do. They are not asking for special treatment. They are asking to be paid and classified in line with the skilled, demanding work they actually perform, and they are standing together to make that case,” Ms Pearce said.

Figures published in Parks Victoria’s own 2024-25 Annual Report support the case for frontline workers. According to the report, ongoing staff numbers fell by around 79 full time equivalent positions over the past year through the organisation’s restructure, dropping from 880 to 801.

Over the same period, the report records executive remuneration rising to $7.7 million, with the number of executives increasing from 28 to 30. The same report shows the organisation’s total recordable injury rate rising to 21.4 against a target of 11.5, with most injuries caused by manual handling in the field, the physical work rangers and operational staff perform every day.

“The numbers in Parks Victoria’s own annual report tell the story,” Mr Hayden said. “Fewer frontline staff, a growing executive pay bill, and rising injuries among the people doing the physical work. Management knows what the problem is. They simply need to act on it.”

The AWU has made clear it remains ready to resolve the dispute. The union’s position is that the current offer on the table, combined with a firm commitment to the ranger reclassification, would meet the core needs of frontline workers and is consistent with the Victorian Government’s wages policy.

“Every time Parks Victoria loses an experienced ranger, it loses years of local knowledge that is not easily replaced. A fair agreement is also good management,” Mr Hayden said.

The union calls on Parks Victoria’s leadership to come to today’s negotiations with a genuine commitment and deliver an outcome that reflects the real value of the work its members perform.

Jamieson Camp Ground Great Otway National Park

All figures are drawn from the Parks Victoria Annual Report 2024-25. Workforce data, page 41. Executive remuneration, page 131, note 8.5.5. Injury rate, pages 25 and 38.