‘Going around and around on a roller coaster’: Public sector stops work in face of wage offers

Public sector workers including nurses and teachers have dropped tools across the Top End as they try force the government into increasing wages. Follow our rolling coverage here.

Public sector workers went on strike on Thursday to protest wage offers. Picture: Chris Kidd

Public sector workers are taking a day of action to protest wage offers.

Walking off the job today across the Northern Territory are nurses, teachers, fire officers, correctional officers and water and power workers.

Correctional officers are out for 12 hours, teachers are striking for four hours while it is not clear how long nurses, firies and power and water staff will be off the job.

Workers have been taking action for months now.

Northern Territory Government comment is yet to comment on the day of action.

UnionsNT secretary Erina Early said union members previously “smashed the wage freeze”.

“Now we are dealing with a wage offer of two per cent for each year of the enterprise agreements,” she said.

“We feel like we are going around and around on roller coaster, with the government hoping the workers fall off and give up.

“This will not happen and Thursday’s day of action is to demonstrate to the government – your workers are angry and fed up with the constant lack of support and the governments shameful wages position, Territorian public service workers deserve better.”

Work stoppages will take place throughout the day in Darwin, Katherine, and Alice Springs.

[e-mail]

Originally published as ‘Going around and around on a roller coaster’: Public sector stops work in face of wage offers