About ETU NSW

The ETU is one of Australia’s oldest and most successful unions.

We represent more than 15,000 electricians and electrical trades workers across a number of industries, including construction, communications and power.

Our History

Since it was founded in 1902, the ETU has faced many struggles as it organised to progress the interests of members.

1915 marked the first intake of electrical apprentices in NSW, with 74 students enrolling at Ultimo and 18 students at Newcastle.

It wasn’t long before electrical licensing became an issue, with ETU members resolving not to work with or connect any work that had been completed by anyone that did not hold an electrician’s ticket. The ETU was instrumental in the development of the electrician’s ticket.

1920 marked the beginning of the ETU’s equal pay campaign and by 1930 the ETU had 51 female members registered with the union.

Despite the Depression and two world wars, the ETU continued to grow and prosper with membership doubling during the Second World War where many members were employed in munitions factories and manufacturing plants.

At the end of 1963 the union took a very brave step and conducted a successful campaign to claim 4 weeks annual leave for employees in the electricity supply industry.

In 1968 electrical tradespeople gained an advantage of $3.00 over other trades, and over the next couple of years this gap continued to increase. Since that time the electrician has maintained a significant lead and recognition as ‘Head of the family of trades’.

1970 saw the ETU succeed in gaining huge wage improvements for members in the Commonwealth Public Sector. In 1973 ETU members received an annual leave loading of 17.5%.

The ETU was fundamental in establishing the Electrical Contracting Industry (State) Award in 1992. The Union, as party to the Award, continues to campaign for improvements to the Award and to ensure that Award conditions are maintained in Enterprise Agreements.

In 1998 the Union was successful in extending the inclusion of the 36-hour working week and 9 day fortnight into all awards in the electricity distribution sector.

In the year 2000, ETU members played an integral role in delivering what was a spectacular event in the form of the Sydney Olympic Games.

In 2005 the conservative Howard Government introduced new workplace rules commonly known as “Work Choices” which was a fundamental attack on the rights and conditions of every worker in Australia. The ETU was at the forefront of the highly successful Your Rights at Work campaign run by unions across the country. This campaign culminated in the Howard Government being thrown from office in 2007.

After winning support from a majority of Legislative Council MLCs, the ETU secured employment guarantees at Ausgrid, Endeavour Energy and Transgrid. The five-year guarantees banned forced redundancies and mandated minimum employment levels at the three companies, until 30 June 2020.

The ETU founded ‘ETU Youth’ in 2017, a group open to young members and apprentices.

Electrical licensing and electrical safety have been core union issues since the ETU was established. In 2019 the Branch made licensing reform a central priority, calling on the NSW government to establish an Electrical Safety Regulator to oversee and enforce electrical licensing and safety.