Hobart teachers, health workers, strike as govt cancels wage negotiation talks
Thousands of public servants angry with the state government have packed Parliament Lawns in Hobart to demand a better deal in enterprise bargaining talks. GET THE LATEST
Thousands of public servants angry with the state government have walked off the job and packed into Hobart’s Parliament Lawns to demand a better deal in enterprise bargaining talks.
Teachers, teachers’ aides, health workers, emergency services workers, child safety officers, WorkSafe inspectors, court staff and others turned out in force for the third and largest in a series of stop work meetings around the state this week.
The Liberal minority government has offered workers covered by 16 industrial agreements a “take-it-or-leave-it” pay rise of three per cent in return for a one-year deal that leaves working conditions largely unchanged.
It has been rejected out of hand, and unions have begun a campaign of industrial action, which they say will escalate until the government returns to the negotiating table with a better and longer-term deal.
The rally passed a motion again rejecting the government’s offer and pledging to step up industrial action it an improvement is not forthcoming.
Organisers estimated up to 4,000 attended Thursday’s rally in Hobart, which stopped classes in government schools for the morning.
Members of the main public sector unions turned out in large numbers, with large contingents from the Australian Education Union and the Health and Community Services Union, the Community and Public Sector Union, the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union, and the United Workers Union.
They bore banners imploring the government to “fix out workload”, noting that “3% is a failing grade” and telling the premier that “Your offer needs more work” and chanted “Who keeps Tassie running strong? Public servants all day long” and “same job, same pay, we deserve a mainland wage”.
Teacher Jake Pike told the crowd that workers felt disrespected by the government’s offer.
“This is about our working conditions, pay comes later. We want to feel safe in our workplaces,” he said.
“They’re quite happy to give themselves pay rises, they’re quite happy to throw money at things like TT-Line and the stadium but they haven’t got money for you.”
Teachers’ aide Natalie Barkoczy told the gathering she and her colleagues cared deeply about their students, but felt the government didn’t care about them.
“Our pay is already at least 5.9 per cent below the mainland – and I’m not sure if anyone’s heard, but there’s a cost of living crisis now.
“If the Tasmanian Government thinks we are so essential, they should stop insulting us with these stopgap measures and offers and get real about treating us the respect we deserve and compensate us appropriately.”
HACSU state secretary Robbie Moore said industrial action would be stepped up if the government didn’t budge.
“This sends a clear message to the government that the way they are treating their workforce is not acceptable,” he said of the rally.
“The workforce has come out in huge numbers, and said, enough is enough. We are not going to be treated with such disrespect.
“Taking industrial action is not something health workers or teachers take lightly, but they’ve been left with no alternative because of the contempt that this government has shown towards them.”
Community and Public Sector Union Tasmania assistant secretary Natalie Jones said the government needed to improve pay and conditions for public sector workers in order to attract people to critical roles in a competitive job market.
“All public sector workplaces at the moment are facing really different conditions and really different issues, and so those workers have come together and actually put solutions on the table,” she said.
“And we want the employer to have a look at those and either agree to them or propose some different solutions.”
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Wave of public sector strikes heading South
The state’s teachers will bring their fight for a better pay deal to the state’s capital on Thursday amid reports the state government has cancelled critical wage negotiation meetings.
It will be the third day of stop work meetings by public sector workers following rallies in the North West on Tuesday and the North on Wednesday. Schools have closed their doors as teachers and support staff walked out as they reject the governments 3 per cent pay rise offer.
The government advised families that state schools will communicate directly with families and with an uncertain number of staff participating Thursday’s stop work action.
They have been asked to make arrangements for students to arrive after 11am for classes to commence at 11.30am.
As Tasmania’s public sector fights for better wages and conditions, union organisers have revealed the government had cancelled critical meetings for negotiation.
On Wednesday, hundreds of people gathered in Launceston’s Civic Square to show support to public service workers after pay negotiations with the state government stalled. Health and Community Services Union organiser Robbie Moore said the government wasn’t coming to the table.
“We were meant to be at the bargaining table tomorrow afternoon, they have cancelled the meeting,” he said.
“They have also cancelled other meetings with paramedics. We wanted to be there.
“When they say they’re trying to bargain in good faith, is an absolute lie.”
Mr Moore said it was “in light of the action” the unions were taking. In addition to meetings being cancelled, Mr Moore said some public sector staff were struggling to attend rallies.
“We’ve seen multiple intimidation tactics from the government and from employers involved in this,” he said.
“We’ve seen emails threatening staff that they have to put in annual leave to attend a rally.”
Premier Jeremy Rockliff said the strike was a “huge disruption for parents and families” and called for common sense.
“There is not only the 3 per cent on the table, but other conditions, including parental leave, loss and other leave as well, to ensure that we are caring for our workforce, and we do,” he said.
“That’s why we’ve got the 3 per cent wage offer on the table so we can then get round the table and work through future wage agreements.”
Mr Rockliff said the deal was a “very reasonable offer”.
A government spokesperson confirmed there would be no meetings with union undertaking industrial action.
“The government continues to meet with unions that are not undertaking industrial action,” they said.
“We look forward to re-engaging with all unions when unnecessary work bans are lifted.”
Members from CPSU, AEU, HACSU, UFU, and UWU attended the northern stop work action in Launceston’s CBD
Hundreds chanted for “fair wages now” to support a struggling system as public sectors workers are stretched thin with increased workloads.
Community and Public Sector Union organiser Kylie Farrell said members were “insulted” by the 3 per cent offer from the government.
“There are lots of people often forgotten in our membership,” she said.
“We have legal aid officer, radio room workers, court staff, child safety officers.”
Ms Farrell said these workers do critical work and members just wanted a “fair and reasonable offer”.
“We wouldn’t be here today if [the] government actually took it seriously,” she said.
Teaching assistant Nicole Wager said education staff were “angry”.
“We get stood down every year, every school holidays without pay,” she said.
“It’s really, really hard because we’re low income as it is, we don’t get enough pay for the amount of work we do. Our workload has doubled in the past 12 months.
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