Unions protest NT government’s public sector pay freeze

Union members have taken to the streets in their quest to scupper a proposed pay freeze for public sector workers.

UNIONS staged a protest on the steps of Parliament House on Tuesday to rally against the NT government’s offer for a four-year wage freeze for public sector workers.

The government and unions have been locked in discussions for months, with employees now being offered a once-a-year $1000 bonus in compensation for the freeze.

The unions’ demands include a 2.5 per cent increase to public sector wages, but the government has claimed that would result in mass job losses in the public service.

Electrical Trades Union NT organiser Dave ‘Strawbs’ Hayes said the protests were aiming to put pressure on the Northern Territory government to back down on some of its key demands.

Dave Hayes from the ETU was among those protesting on Tuesday.

Mr Hayes also warned that flat wages for four years during a time of rising costs would hit lower-paid workers and make many look for other work interstate, meaning they’d leave the Territory.

“We are here today to get our voices heard, and hopefully, push for a better deal for the public service which then flows onto the rest of NT,” he said.

Mr Hayes also called for the $1000 annual payment to be made cumulative, rather than a lump sum, as per the recommendations of the Langoulant report.

Community and Public Sector Union Northern Territory secretary Kay Densley said the government’s insistence on a pay freeze was at odds with the attitude of other Labor governments interstate.

Treasurer Michael Gunner said the government would make cuts to afford any pay rises. Picture: Glenn Campbell

“The Labor Party was born from the union movement … you never recognise that in this government.”

Opposition Mining and Industry spokesman Steve Edgington said the CLP would be happy to talk to unions about their concerns but wanted any deal to keep wages frozen. “What I urge the government to do is sit down, engage with the unions, engage with the public sector to work out a deal which is consistent with the Langoulant report,” Mr Edgington said.

Chief Minister Michael Gunner said any increases to wages would lead to cuts in future years to keep the NT budget balanced.

“I cannot support the unions’ demand we … massively cut the number of public servants – this is the unavoidable consequence of what they are campaigning for,” Mr Gunner said.