Beachgoers in a tourist hotspot may soon see some different uniforms patrolling the sand if a council pushes ahead with a reported plan to outsource lifeguard services.
Coffs Harbour City Council on the NSW mid-north coast is accused of watering down the professionalism of the lifeguards on its beaches by making a "secret decision" to outsource the service to another provider.
The union representing many of the affected lifeguards says council lifeguard services are the gold standard for professionalism and beach safety, and any move to hand over the service may be at odds with public expectations.
"Everyone has seen in some form the Bondi Rescue TV show - they're employed directly by council," Luke Hutchinson, United Services Union acting manager, told AAP on Wednesday.
Other providers may rely on younger and more inexperienced lifeguards because of the lower pay they command, Mr Hutchinson said.
The council denies it has made a decision on whether to outsource lifeguard services and is "disappointed" with the union for breaching the confidentiality of negotiations.
"While the city is exploring options, no decision has been made to outsource the lifeguard service," a council spokesman said in a statement.
Council-run services are common in metro areas, but the spokesman noted Coffs Harbour is the only NSW council north of Newcastle to operate its own lifeguard service and "lacks economies of scale".
The accusations are the culmination of a months-long dispute between the union and council after workers raised concerns in late 2024 about staffing levels and burnout.
A mandated 28-day consultation process between employees and council has begun.
Mr Hutchinson says there are few answers for concerned locals and tourists about what the impact will be on patrols.
"There's no transparency for anyone in the community to work out how public money's being spent," he said.
The union also claims the council has breached local government tendering guidelines and the award protections of its workers.
The NSW Industrial Relations Commission will hold an in-person hearing at Newcastle Courthouse on Thursday to begin adjudicating on the union's claims.
