Two Essential Energy staff from Orange and one from Molong will lose their jobs as the company begins to work through a restructure.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Earlier this week, the NSW government-owned electricity supplier announced it would slash 182 jobs from its regional workforce in an effort to "drive efficiencies in our business" and "deliver a better service at lower cost".
An initial list of the first 122 forced redundancies has been provided to Australian Community Media by Essential Energy, with a total of 25 positions in the Central West and Orana region axed.
Bathurst will be the hardest hit in the region with eight staff to lose their jobs, although Essential Energy admits that this number has not yet been finalised.
The Orana region, will lose seven staff including three in Dubbo, as well as one each in the Coonabarabran, Dunedoo, Gilgandra and Narrabri depots.
Jobs will also go in Oberon, Parkes, Crookwell, Yass and Young.
The biggest jobs losses will be in Port Macquarie with 34 staff to go and the Grafton office will lose 11.
... the NSW Government has the power to force management to find alternative savings measures that don't require slashing jobs in regional communities.
- United Services Union general secretary Graeme Kelly
Cabonne mayor Kevin Beatty said the losses come at the worst possible time for his shire.
"Any job losses in Cabonne would have a major impact not only on the families affected, but on our community," he said.
"The personal impacts on families is likely to be devastating, but the flow-on effect may also very detrimental to the economies of Cabonne's towns and villages, particularly when we are experiencing one of the worst droughts on record."
Meanwhile, unions representing Essential Energy workers are demanding a crisis meeting with NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian and Deputy Premier John Barilaro to save the jobs.
Electrical Trades Union secretary Justin Page is meeting with the Fair Work Commission on Friday to challenge Essential Energy's failure to properly consult with employees about the losses.
While the United Services Union (USU), which represents white-collar employees, is also involved.
USU general secretary Graeme Kelly said it was not too late to find alternatives to save these regional jobs, but it would require the full support of the NSW Government.
Where the first 122 jobs will be cut:
"Essential Energy remains 100 per cent publicly owned, so the NSW Government has the power to force management to find alternative savings measures that don't require slashing jobs in regional communities," he said.
"Ahead of the election, the National Party repeatedly promised the people of rural and regional NSW that they would not face public service job cuts. This is the first test of those promises.
"In many regional communities, these job losses have had a substantial impact on the local economies, forcing local families to move away as they look for alternative work.
"There are alternatives to these latest cuts, there are options on the table that can deliver cost savings while protecting regional employment, but they require firm political action, not just words."
DO YOU WANT MORE ORANGE NEWS?
- Receive our free newsletters delivered to your inbox, as well as breaking news alerts. Sign up below ...