A pay dispute between Tasmania’s electricians’ union and TasNetworks is threatening to throw tomorrow’s AFL match between Hawthorn and North Melbourne in Launceston into chaos.

The Communications, Electricity and Plumbing Union (CEPU) is holding out for a pay rise for TasNetworks staff as tomorrow’s match stalls due to stalled negotiations.

Recent power outages in Launceston, which left the University of Tasmania’s Inveresk campus without power for 36 hours earlier this week, have also impacted nearby York Park, where the tournament’s crucial final round will take place.

With strikes underway, including a union-imposed ‘switching ban’, TasNetworks union members will ignore the call if there is a disruption during tomorrow’s match at York Park, potentially throwing the match, and the AFL season, into disarray.

And with plans to picket the game tomorrow afternoon, out-of-state contractors are being encouraged by the union not to cross the picket line if they have to deal with a power outage.

The ABC understands that discussions are ongoing between the AFL, TasNetworks and the Tasmanian Government over the status of the clash. A move to Blundstone Arena in Hobart is being mooted as a possible, but highly unlikely, solution if the situation cannot be resolved.

It is thought that the best solution would be to move the match to Melbourne, but the logistics of that are unclear, as Hawthorn and North Melbourne are already in Tasmania and have trucks with temporary workers on the pitch.

Ticket sales, business requirements and contractual obligations between Hawthorn and the Tasmanian Government must also be considered, as well as the implications of moving the match. This is not only crucial to Hawthorn’s top 8 ambitions, but also to the final composition of the AFL ladder, which will determine the draft order.

In a statement, TasNetworks CEO Sean McGoldrick told the ABC that “power is back on at UTAS Stadium (York Park) and our network is secure”.

But that “as a result of the actions of the CEPU union, recovery from an unplanned power outage is not guaranteed”.

CEPU is aiming for “wage parity” with mainland colleagues, who they say are paid up to 30 percent more for “exactly the same work”.

TasNetworks’ higher salary offer includes a 7 percent salary increase in the first year with a lump sum payment of $2,000, before salary increases in the second and third years, which are linked to inflation.

The competition starts tomorrow at 16:40. This means that lighting must be used on the competition field.

The AFL has been contacted for comment.

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