Essential Hunter Workers Call to Scrap the Public Sector Wage Cap

BY OLIVIA DILLON

Essential workers from the Hunter gathered at the John Hunter Hospital this morning, in a bid to address issues surrounding wages and staff shortages. 

Ahead of the event, Unions NSW Secretary Mark Morey, launched a new report, detailing how much health and education workers will be out-of-pocket if the wage cap for public sector workers isn't scrapped. 

The research into the impact of the wage cap on the pay packets of essential workers shows it will leave nurses, paramedics and teachers worse-off by between $10,000 and $12,000 dollars when adjusted for inflation over 3 years.

It also details how the 3% wage cap is adding to critical staff shortages, noting vacancies for education professionals in the region have tripled. 

Mark Morey said something needs to be done. 

"We're calling on the NSW Government to get rid of the cap, and to negotiate wage increases for its essential workers," he said. 

He said scrapping the cap is the only way to address mass vacancies across the Hunter. 

Image: Newcastle Herald

Hunter's public sector workers walk off the job for 24 hours

BY OLIVIA DILLON

Hunter members of the Public Service Association (PSA) are going ahead with today's industrial action, despite the State Government's pay rise in its upcoming budget. 

Premier Dominic Perrottet announced on Monday the Government's new wages policy, which would lift the long-standing 2.5 percent pay cap to 3 percent, with a one-off $3,000 bonus for NSW Health employees. 

However, PSA members are calling the offer insulting, saying it would represent a significant pay cut to workers in real terms, and does not keep pace with the current or rising cost of living. 

PSA Assistant General Secretary Troy Wright, says the union's distress has not been alleviated. 

"What hasn't changed is, our members are still angry, and they're actually even angrier, with the scale of this offer," he said.

"The Premier has sought to divide the public sector, saying there's good ones and bad ones; some are deserving of the $3000 dollar bonus for working through the pandemic, and others in frontline roles that we represent, aren't." 

Employee Services Minister Damien Tudehope described the union's decision as "disappointing", while the Premier maintains the offer is "fair and responsible", and balances the concerns of unions with the Government's budget constraints.

The state-wide strike will see a number of essential services impacted, with members hoping it will cause the Government to revise their offer. 

"It will certainly effect all sorts of public services where our members work and the public rely on them; frontline services that the Premier seems to be ignoring," Mr Wright said.

 

"Things like the courts, things like community services and child protection workers, things like Service NSW and things like prisons and schools."

"We hope they see sense, but this Government doesn't have a good track record of seeing sense. We will review our options after the strike action and whether it takes the attention of the Government."

Image credit: Newcastle MP Tim Crakanthorp.

Over 11 Thousand Hunter Workers Affected By Public Sector Wage Freeze

BY DAKOTA TAIT

Figures reveal more than 11,000 public servants in the Hunter Region will have their pay frozen, under the NSW Government's 12 month wage freeze. 

Premier Gladys Berejiklian said while the decision was difficult, it was the fairest one for the people of NSW.

“Whilst we are recovering from the health consequences of the pandemic we have yet to come to terms with the economic shock. Job security is essential on our path to recovery,” Ms Berejiklian said.

“The only way NSW will come out of this crisis in a strong position is if we all make sacrifices, and that’s what we’re asking our own workforce to do because we are all in this together.”

 

Public servants in the Hunter
Health workers	2,086
NSW Police Force	472
Teachers	2,924
Transport workers	74
General public servants	3,564
Total number of public servants	11,431
Percentage of total workers	11.7%

While the State Government insist the proposal has not been taken lightly and is intended to direct funds toward health services and preserve public sector jobs, the plan has faced serious criticism.

Shadow Minister for the Hunter Clayton Barr says it is "ironic" that the lowest paid workers are relied on most during the COVID-19 crisis - and the decision to keep their wages low is "shallow, short-sighted, and cruel." 

"Public servants across the Hunter make up an incredibly significant portion of our total economy," Mr Barr. "If you take money out of their pockets, then you're killing off large parts of the rest of the economy."

The 11,431 public servants at risk in the Hunter include thousands of teachers, health workers, police officers, and general public servants, and altogether make up more than 10 per cent of the Hunter's workforce.

Mr Barr says the State Government must take real action to jumpstart the economy in regional NSW.

"What the economy needs right now is money in people's pockets," said Mr Barr. "So that people can go out and spend money and keep others employed in the retail, hospitality and services industries." 

Image credit: pixabay.com