‘Disgraceful attack’ on public sector
At least 80,000 NSW public sector workers are reportedly set to lose salary benefits and conditions under sweeping cuts to their awards. The New South Wales government last week confirmed it had applied to the NSW Industrial Commission to change 98 awards for public sector workers, including 1,000 nurses who assist people with disabilities and those in aged care facilities.
At least 80,000 NSW public sector workers are reportedly set to lose salary benefits and conditions under sweeping cuts to their awards.
The New South Wales government last week confirmed it had applied to the NSW Industrial Commission to change 98 awards for public sector workers, including 1,000 nurses who assist people with disabilities and those in aged care facilities.
The Sydney Morning Herald last week revealed the government also planned to cut penalties for all shift workers and allowances for staff stationed in remote areas.
The Public Service Association vowed to resist the proposals in the NSW Industrial Relations Commission and through industrial action, starting with stop-work rallies across the state on 8 October.
The NSW general secretary of the Public Service Association, John Cahill, said
the said the government was planning to abolish the annual leave loading and other conditions the union had spent years fighting to win.
“It’s a disgraceful attack on the conditions of public sector workers in NSW,” he said.
“Everyone in Australia gets annual leave loading and, under this proposal, public sector workers will be the only workers in the country who don’t receive that benefit.”
Mr Cahill said the changes would reduce shift penalties and the periods for which they would be paid.
The acting secretary of the NSW Nurses and Midwives Association, Judith Kiejda, said about six nurses working for NSW Police and about 1,000 working in the aged care, disabilities and home care sectors would be affected by the proposed cuts.
“To have the cuts imposed on them on top of the government wages policy [which caps salary rises to 2.5%] is outrageous. The meanness of this government beggars belief.”
The application affects about 80,000 public servants and while the proposed changes will not apply to public nurses, teachers, police or fire-fighters; it will apply to those working under a state award for the Department of Family and Community Services, including aged, disability and home care.
The matter has been set down for further hearing in the commission on 10 October 2012.
