Essential Energy workers set to strike

Thousands of energy provider workers in NSW will walk off the job for 24 hours over a long-running workplace agreement dispute.

The Electrical Trades Union says about 800 regional employees at the state-owned Essential Energy will lose their jobs while others will have their wages and conditions cut after attempts to negotiate new workplace agreements failed.

About 2000 workers from more than 100 Essential Energy workplaces across the state will strike from 6am Wednesday to 6am Thursday.

"Our members have done everything possible to resolve this dispute without the need to impact on the community service they provide, but management's refusal to budge has left them no choice but to take strike action," ETU NSW secretary Steve Butler said.