Workers take action

Public servants in Rockingham say they deserve more than the State Government’s pay offer, which does not meet the rising cost of living.

The workers say they will take industrial action in the push for a better deal.

The Government has offered a three-year deal that would see public sector workers receive a pay increase of 2.5 per cent a year.

In a vote last month, members of the Community and Public Sector Union/Civil Service Association rejected the offer. Staff from child protection and family services, housing, disability services, corrective services and transport walked off the job on Thursday after the deal was rejected.

The union is pushing for a 3.5 per cent increase per year, hoping to follow the success of nurses and prison officers’ unions.

Rockingham workers voted on Thursday to continue industrial action.

Union branch assistant secretary Rikki Hendon told the Telegraph accepting the pay deal would also mean a trade-off in job security provisions.

She said the offer made it clear the Government wanted to privatise many public services.

Commerce Minister Michael Mischin condemned the industrial action, saying WA’s public servants were among the highest paid in the country.

“In short, if that (pay increase of 3.5 per cent) flows on to other public sector unions, this will cost Western Australians an extra $100 million per annum for each of the next three years,” he said.