ELECTRICAL TRADES UNION OF AUST NSW

What ELECTRICAL TRADES UNION OF AUST NSW does

The Electrical Trades Union of Australia NSW & ACT Branch (ETU NSW) is a registered trade union and the largest union representing members in the electrical, energy and power industries across New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory. Founded on 28 October 1902, ETU NSW represents more than 15,000 electricians and electrical trades workers across construction, energy/power, communications, manufacturing, mining, rail, aerospace and transport sectors. The union is a democratic member-run organisation operating under the Communications, Electrical, Electronic, Energy, Information, Postal, Plumbing and Allied Services Union of Australia (CEPU) as its parent body, with leadership comprising State Secretary Allen Hicks and Assistant Secretary Fred Barbin.

ETU NSW's core product is membership-based industrial representation: collective bargaining for enterprise agreements, workplace safety support, workers compensation and journey claims handling, legal referrals, training and delegate services. The product portfolio extends to add-on member benefits including journey cover insurance, a funeral benefit of up to $7,000, holiday cabins at Nambucca Heads, the $60,000/year Community Support Program, the Agreement Interpretation Course, the SafeWork NSW-approved HSR 5-Day Training Course, the Big Sister women-only pre-apprenticeship with Granville TAFE, the ETU Youth program, Member Advantage discounts, and the CBUS superannuation partnership. The technology stack is modest and operational rather than differentiated: an iMIS Cloud member portal, online membership application with NAB Transact credit-card processing over 128-bit SSL, dedicated apprentice acquisition portal, plus standard website/social channels and a Shopify merchandise store. No public API, SDK, or AI capability is offered.

Revenue is generated entirely through recurring membership subscription fees collected via direct debit, credit card, BPay, cheque/money order, and payroll deductions. Apprentice members pay $3.15/week; standard fees vary by industry sector (Electrical Contracting, Sydney Trains, supply authorities Ausgrid, Transgrid, Essential Energy, Endeavour Energy, Evo Energy), and all union fees are tax deductible. Go-to-market is direct-to-consumer, combining online self-serve join flows, organic social (Facebook, Twitter/X, Instagram), workplace delegate networks, and physical offices in Sydney (HQ), Newcastle, Canberra and Newcastle West. Distribution is domestic single-country (NSW and ACT), with international networking via IUEC and Connect Trade Union primarily for multinational employer leverage rather than member acquisition.

Name

ELECTRICAL TRADES UNION OF AUST NSW

Legal name

CEPU Electrical Division NSW Branch

Website

https://etunsw.asn.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1902

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Electrical Trades Union of Australia NSW & ACT Branch is a registered trade union representing more than 15,000 electricians and electrical trades workers across construction, energy, manufacturing, rail, and transport sectors in New South Wales and the ACT, providing industrial representation, enterprise bargaining, training, and member benefits.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Trade Union Services

NAICS

Insurance and Employee Benefit Funds (5251), Apprenticeship Training (611513), Vocational Rehabilitation Services (6243), Technical and Trade Schools (6115)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Labor Relations & Employment Practice Advisory (BPAHAGAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Employment & Labor Law (BPAHAAAD), Workforce Compliance & Employment Law Risk Management (Local Labor Law, Tax, Statutory) (BPACAHAH)

Keywords

• Trade union representation
• Industrial advocacy services
• Enterprise bargaining agreements
• Workers compensation support
• Apprenticeship training programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Sydney

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Union Membership Fees: The ETU generates revenue through recurring membership subscription fees collected via multiple methods: direct debit (fortnightly or monthly), credit card, BPay, cheque/money order, and payroll deductions. All union fees are tax deductible.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The ETU NSW provides trade union membership services to more than 15,000 electricians and electrical trades workers across NSW and ACT. Its core offerings include industrial representation and collective bargaining for enterprise agreements, workplace health and safety advocacy, workers compensation and journey claims support, legal referrals, training programs, and member benefits including journey cover insurance, funeral benefits, holiday cabins, community grants, and discount programs.

Product overview

ETU NSW operates as a union offering membership-based services rather than a software product. The core offering is union membership providing industrial representation, collective bargaining, and workplace safety support. The portfolio includes: core membership services (advice, representation, collective bargaining), apprenticeship programs (ETU Apprentices website with apprentice-specific membership at $3.15/week), workers compensation and journey claims assistance, member benefits (journey cover insurance, funeral benefit up to $7,000, holiday cabins at Nambucca Heads, community grants program with $60,000 annual funding), training programs (HSR 5-day training course, Agreement Interpretation Course), women's support services (Women's Committee, Big Sister Initiative pre-apprenticeship program), youth engagement (ETU Youth program), and partner programs (Member Advantage discounts, CBUS superannuation). The union also publishes Livewire Magazine for member communication.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ETU Apprentices: Dedicated portal for electrical apprentices providing information on becoming an electrician, joining benefits, and resources.
• ETU Youth
• Big Sister Program
• Livewire

Products and services

• Union Membership
• Apprentice Membership Program

Quantifiable outcome

• Electrical workers on union EBAs earn 44% more than non-union members
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• CBUS SuperannuationcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCBUS is the preferred superannuation partner for ETU members. Founded in 1984 by construction workers, CBUS is member-owned with over $110 billion in investments and 925,000 members. CBUS coordinators regularly visit job sites to provide superannuation advice to ETU members.
• ETU Community Support Program PartnersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe ETU Community Support Program offers $60,000 annually in community grants and education scholarships. Funding is available year-round up to $5,000 per month across all grants and scholarships. Recipients include local sporting groups and community organizations where ETU members are actively involved.
• HallPayne LawyerscoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerHallPayne Lawyers is the law firm where ETU NSW Branch refers members for legal services. They provide competitive legal services in all areas of law including criminal charges, civil law, family law, and will preparation.
• Member AdvantagecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMember Advantage is a discount program available to ETU members offering savings on shopping, travel, accommodation, financial services, health and wellbeing, entertainment and dining through partner retailers and service providers.
• E-Oz Energy Skills AustraliaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerE-Oz Energy Skills Australia is the Commonwealth Government's declared industry skills council for the energy sector. The ETU consults with E-Oz on matters relating to training and skills in the energy sector covering electrotechnology, electrical distribution, transmission and rail, and electricity generation.
• Standards AustraliaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStandards Australia sets and reviews electrical standards in Australia including AS/NZS 3000:2007 (wiring rules). The ETU works with Standards Australia on industry standards that affect electrical workers.
• Safe Work AustraliacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSafe Work Australia sets national workplace safety policy. The ETU engages with Safe Work Australia on electrical industry safety standards, regulation, advice and directives.
• NSW TAFEcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe ETU supports the NSW TAFE system in delivery of electrical and electrotechnology courses and recommends TAFE to members for vocational education and training.
• Granville TAFEcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe ETU partnered with Granville TAFE to provide the Big Sister Initiative - a women-only pre-apprenticeship training program (Cert II Electrotechnology Career Start). Women completing the program receive placements at union-covered work sites.
• International Union of Elevator Constructors (IUEC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe ETU NSW/ACT strengthens ties with IUEC and international lift unions globally to share knowledge, foster relationships, and support workers in the lift industry. Secretary Allen Hicks and Organiser Jacob Kennedy attended the IUEC Global Safety Summit in the US.
• Connect Trade Union (Ireland)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConnect Trade Union in Ireland is part of the international network of lift industry unions working with the ETU NSW through the IUEC to share knowledge and support workers globally.
• Protect.net.auminorOthersListed as a partner organization supporting ETU's advocacy mission for worker protections.
• Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe ETU is affiliated with the ACTU, Australia's peak union body. The ETU participated in the Your Rights at Work campaign against WorkChoices legislation.
• E-oz.com.auminorGTM or Marketing PartnerListed as partner providing energy industry skills and training information to ETU members.
• CEPUcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe ETU NSW/ACT Branch is part of the Communications, Electrical, Electronic, Energy, Information, Postal, Plumbing and Allied Services Union of Australia (CEPU) Electrical Division. CEPU handles organizational matters including elections and rules.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• United Workers Union (UWU): UWU is a large national union formed by merger covering workers across manufacturing, energy, transport and other sectors — overlapping with several of ETU NSW's industry segments (manufacturing, transport, energy) and competing for the same EBA-covered employee base in NSW.
• Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU): ACTU is the peak national union body of which ETU NSW is an affiliated member. It is comparable as a broader labor-relations and policy-advocacy organization influencing the same Fair Work framework that governs ETU's EBA activity, though it does not directly negotiate enterprise agreements.
• Communications, Electrical, Electronic, Energy, Information, Postal, Plumbing and Allied Services Union of Australia (CEPU): CEPU is the parent federal union of which ETU NSW is the Electrical Division NSW Branch. It is the most direct institutional peer — same electrical trades membership base, same collective bargaining function, just operating at the national/federal level with additional divisions (communications, plumbing) that ETU NSW does not cover.

Direct peers

• Australian Manufacturing Workers' Union (AMWU): AMWU represents manufacturing workers across Australia including in NSW, and overlaps with ETU's manufacturing and industrial members at sites such as Kone Lifts and Schindler where both unions may have coverage. Comparable in EBA negotiation, training delivery and member-benefit structure.
• Transport Workers Union (TWU): TWU represents transport workers across Australia with overlapping NSW transport-sector membership where ETU also covers electrical workers (e.g., Sydney Trains). Both unions operate on subscription fee revenue, EBA negotiation, member benefits, and political advocacy on NSW industrial policy.
• Australian Workers' Union (AWU): AWU is one of Australia's largest trade unions representing workers across manufacturing, energy, construction and resources — overlapping directly with ETU's power/energy, manufacturing and construction segments. Both compete for members in NSW supply authorities and industrial worksites and operate under the same Fair Work registered-organisation framework.
• Electrical Trades Union of Australia (ETU Victoria): Sister ETU branch covering Victorian electrical workers; offers the same membership, EBA negotiation, training and apprentice support model in a different Australian state. Highly comparable in product/service mix, member value proposition (wage premium, journey cover, training), and target persona — electricians and apprentices — but operates in a separate geographic market.
• CFMEU — Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union: The CFMEU represents construction workers in NSW and is the closest direct peer on the same construction job sites where ETU members work. Both unions engage in EBA bargaining, industrial action, and apprentice recruitment in the NSW construction sector, and increasingly coordinate on major infrastructure and commercial projects (Stowe, ARA Electrical examples).

Regional players

• Electrical Trades Union Queensland (ETU QLD): Another state-level ETU branch covering Queensland electrical workers with the same membership-and-EBA model. Functionally a direct peer (same trade, same product offering), but classified as regional because it operates in a different Australian state and does not directly compete with ETU NSW for members in NSW/ACT.

Others

• National Electrical and Communications Association (NECA): NECA is the employer-side industry association representing electrical and communications contractors in Australia — the counterparty to ETU in EBA negotiations. Included as an adjacent/ecosystem peer because it operates in the same NSW electrical contracting space but on the employer rather than worker side.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/NSW_ETU
• Facebookfacebook.com/ETUnsw
• Instagraminstagram.com/etunswact
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/electrical-trades-union-of-aust-nsw

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles20 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about ELECTRICAL TRADES UNION OF AUST NSW