The results are in!

on Monday, 13 March 2017.

WA Labor has won the State election resoundingly. This is good news for our members, after years of a Government that has failed to listen and failed to engage with our members, WA Labor has assured us that our members are important stakeholders. 

WA Labor has given an understanding that there will be no forced redundancies as part of the Services Priority Review they are undertaking, and they will make clear and transparent decisions about any changes in structure or services being delivered as part of the review process.

We look forward to working with the new Labor Government on the Services Priority Review to minimise any impact on service delivery, jobs and your livelihood. No one knows the work you do better than you and we will ensure that WA Labor listens and collaborates to start rebuilding the damage done in the past 8 and a half years.

The last word: get the full picture before you vote.

on Friday, 10 March 2017.

It’s been a big week for public sector announcements in the lead up to the State election. Here’s the wash up:

WA Liberal Party

On Wednesday, the Liberal Party’s costings were released by Treasury. The documents uncovered the Liberals plan to cut 2000 experienced public servants and replace them with 1000 lower paid graduates. Replacing 2,000 experienced public sector staff with 1,000 new graduates on less money, doing double the work will dramatically weaken the public sector, which is already struggling after years of cuts, privatisation and recruitment freezes.

The savings made from the loss of the 2000 jobs was estimated to save almost the same amount that the Liberal Party plan to spend on consultants to sell public assets like Western Power. Cutting 2000 West Australian public sector jobs to pay for consultants to sell public assets is a sop to the big end of town at the expense of our members delivering valued public services to West Australians.

Including the revelation from the costings, so far this election the Liberals have announced three policies that relate to the public sector:

1. There will be more privatisations of public services;
2. 100 hot desks will be installed for public sector workers; and
3. 2000 jobs are to go, replaced by 1000 graduates doing twice the work for less money.

Importantly, the Liberal Party have not released a public sector policy.

WA Labor Party

On Thursday Labor revealed their plan to get the WA budget back to surplus across the forward estimates. That plan includes a $750 million cut to public sector expenditure.

In December 2016, WA Labor announced their intention to conduct a Service Priority Review, though they did not announce at that time how much money they expected to save as part of that measure.

The $750 million figure is a concern. We have engaged with WA Labor on this issue and we can advise that they expect the savings to be achieved through a process of agency amalgamation, reduction in the numbers of Senior Executive Service positions and a focus on realising economies of scale in public sector administration by reducing bureaucracy and red tape.

WA Labor has assured us that there will be no forced redundancies and that decisions will be targeted and transparent. It’s a marked difference in communication from the Liberal Party and we will continue to engage with WA Labor in the interests of our members should they be elected. WA Labor recognises the CPSU/CSA as a stakeholder and has given an undertaking on consultation.

Including their costings announcement, WA Labor have also released three:policies related to the sector across the campaign:

1.    A Public Sector Policy responding to Your Union Agreement claim that commits to “providing real improvements to essential services and recognise that this cannot be achieved without an effective, functional and well-resourced public sector.” This includes announcements about

a.    Fixed Term Contracts being converted to permanency;

b.    Stopping the privatisation of public services;

c.    Stopping the overuse of labour hire;

d.    The provision of 10 days family and domestic violence leave

2.    The Delivering Real Outcomes policy

a.    20 Cross Government Key Performance Indicators linked to 20% of Department Head salaries;

b.    20 reduction in the number of Departments; and

c.    20 reduction in the Senior Executive Service.

3.    Service Priority Review to make 

$750 million savings across the forward estimates.

Greens WA

The Greens have engaged with the Union and its members supportively across the election campaign. Greens candidates have accepted the claim and consistently indicated their support for public sector workers. The Greens do not have a policy that directly relates to the public sector.

The Nationals WA

The Nationals were slow to get a conversation started but in the last week we have caught up with Brendon Grylls who indicated his support for our regional members. In addition the Nationals WA have been in touch to let us know that following the election, whether they are in government or not, the leader of the Nationals and the Nationals President will be happy to sit down and have a discussion about job security, cuts and privatisation.

Make Your Vote Count on Saturday

on Thursday, 09 March 2017.

Cartons for Colin Action

on Thursday, 09 March 2017.

COLIN BARNETT MISSING (BUT CUTS 2000 JOBS)

on Thursday, 09 March 2017.

Press Conference Today;

• Parliament House Steps
• 11am
• Vision Opportunity: Hundreds of Milk Bottles with Colin Barnett’s face on them.
• Speaking: Secretary of CPSU/CSA Toni Walkington

BARNETT CUTS 2000 JOBS WHILE IN HIDING

40,000 public service workers were concerned for the welfare of Premier Colin Barnett, who appeared to be missing… Until yesterday when Treasury revealed his plan: To cut 2000 public service jobs.

Public service workers were angry at the Premier for refusing to meet or negotiate since they lodged their EBA claims on 17 November 2016, but now they can only conclude he was in hiding.

The CPSU/CSA is one, of only two Unions, which currently has open EBA negotiations with the Department of Commerce.

In previous elections, the Liberal Party was open to negotiations to help secure votes from public sector workers - this time round they are M.I.A.

Secretary Toni Walkington says Mr. Barnett must take responsibility for his decisions.

“Yesterday Mr. Barnett revealed the plan to cut another 2000 public sector jobs.

“This will dramatically weaken the public sector, which is already struggling after years of cuts, privatisation and recruitment freezes.

“Frankly it is unimaginable the devastating impact it would have for WA’s public services.

“We will lose valuable knowledge and skills from the sector, while the government engages new graduates on less money, but expecting them to do double the work.

 “The Barnett government has one way to deal with their debt, cut the public sector.

“This will be on the top of member’s minds when they go to the polls on Saturday.  

“Mr. Barnett has demonstrated that he is unable to manage the finances of this state and it’s time for someone else to have a go,” Ms. Walkington said.

Of course, Mr. Barnett has announced one new detail for the public service.

“Oh yes, apparently we are getting 100 new hotdesks… which no one asked for, or wants.”

Thanks Mr. Barnett

Voting Information

on Tuesday, 07 March 2017.

Early voting will be available from Monday 20 February until Friday 10 March between Monday and Friday except the Public Holiday on Monday 6 March.

Early voting will be extended to 6.00pm on Friday 10 March except at centres with limited open times.

Source: https://www.elections.wa.gov.au/vote/election-day/wa-early-voting-centres

The Premier Responds!

on Friday, 03 March 2017.

The Premier finally decided to engage with us today, he responded to the letter we wrote to him on the 10^th February seeking his commitment to provide back pay should negotiations go over schedule.

The letter doesn’t give a commitment and says that information we asked for has been provided to us, it hasn’t.

The Premier is still missing in action on an Agreement that relates to over 40 000 West Australians. The Premier has not responded to the elements of our claim and the Liberal Party have not issued a policy for the public sector.

You can see a copy of the Premier’s response to back pay here.

Have You Seen Our Premier?

on Wednesday, 01 March 2017.

The next few weeks are the culmination of many years work for our Union and the labour movement. The Save Our Services campaign and the political element of the Your Union Agreement campaign are in their final stages and we have managed to get a clear view of what both major parties will deliver for the public sector.

The Premier has failed to engage at all in the Your Union Agreement process despite our best efforts:

17 November 2016 – We lodged our claim with the security guard at Hale House after the Premier failed to respond to our request for a meeting

13 December 2016 – The Premier failed to issue instructions to the Department of Commerce prior to the start of the bargaining process

12 January 2017 – The Premier failed to issue instructions to the Department of Commerce prior to the start of the first bargaining meeting.

10 February 2017 – The CPSU/CSA wrote to the Premier seeking his commitment to provide back pay should negotiations go over schedule.

We haven’t had a response to date from the Premier and now we are worried he might be not just be missing in action, but missing altogether.

Can you help us find him by saving your milk cartons so we can launch a ‘missing’ campaign? It’s as easy as 1-2-3

There is a collection point in the foyer at 445 Hay Street and members will receive red shopping bags across this week to assist in collections at worksites, get your red shopping bag by emailing us at [email protected]org

Collect milk cartons (and give them a good rinse) between now and the 7^th of March. We will collect the cartons on the 7 and 8^th March – just let us know that you have some cartons to collect by emailing us at [email protected]

Stay tuned to our Facebook page on the 9 March to help us find our missing Premier.

Taking the message to the Nationals

on Tuesday, 28 February 2017.

Since the start of our campaign in November, we have been keen to engage with the National Party. We have campaigned heavily in Geraldton Branch Secretary, Toni Walkington caught up with Nationals leader Brendon Grylls this week and delivered a copy of Your Union Agreement claim. Mr Grylls made clear his support for regional members of the CPSU/CSA."

Regional CPSU/CSA members have been asking Mr Grylls to meet with them in the regions. No luck yet but we are working on it.

Take part in the action by emailing your candidate. 

Taking the YUA and Save Our Services message to Geraldton

on Tuesday, 21 February 2017.

Team CPSU/CSA headed to Geraldton to talk to members about Your Union Agreement and we got some great feedback from members. We held a supporters BBQ at the Glindinning Park and held a stall at the Platform Markets, taking the message about public services to Geraldton locals.