'Seriously wrong': Families back workers at protest

WORKERS, residents, grandparents and politicians warned this was just the beginning as they protested outside the Gladstone Power Station this morning.

In the largest protest against the Enterprise Bargaining Agreement changes to date, more than 100 people chanted and waved flags outside the power station on Hanson Road.

MP backs protesters at NRG : Gladstone MP Glenn Butcher and Australian Manufacturers' Workers Union delegate Andrew Lockwood speak at today's protest outside the Gladstone Power Station.

Australian Manufacturers' Workers Union delegate and power station employee Andrew Lockwood said today's protest was the beginning of the battle against proposed changes to the EBA.

Union delegates warned if NRG was successful in terminating its EBA, other major industries in Gladstone could follow suit.

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Mr Lockwood said, standing beside his partner and two boys, with community support, workers and unions would continue to protest.

"No one is going to believe that a power generator is not making money right now," he said.

Workers, residents, grandparents and children protested against proposed changes to the Gladstone Power Station's Enterprise Bargaining Agreement. Tegan Annett

"If we can't (fight this), then the town's in trouble."

Workers and unions argue the new arrangement strips them of conditions including changes to over-time pay, penalty rates and redundancy offers.

Joining them this morning was Gladstone's state member Glenn Butcher who told workers they weren't being greedy.

Mr Butcher, who completed an apprenticeship at the Gladstone Power Station about 30 years ago, said the EBA changes were an attack on worker's conditions.

Yesterday NRG told workers and unions it planned to make a Fair Work Commission application to terminate the current Enterprise Bargaining Agreement.

"We're all here to protect what is right for the people here who aren't asking for anything other than the rights and protections they have in place now," the Labor Party's Mr Butcher told the crowd of cheering protesters," Mr Butcher said.

Gladstone's state member Glenn Butcher at today's protest against proposed changes to Gladstone Power Station's Enterprise Bargaining Agreement.

"If we can't stand as a collective group in this community and protect this, then there's something seriously wrong with what we're doing here in Gladstone."

Mr Butcher, wearing an Australian Manufacturers' Workers Union cap, disputed the company's responses that the current EBA was outdated and a new agreement would bring them into line with the rest of the industry.

"This company has stripped the workforce back to the bare bones, they have the lowest number of employees here ever," he said.

Unions have applied for protected industrial action, which usually takes about a month to process and approve.