
Issue No 19		25 June 1999

News

Budget Gaps Tell Bigger Story

This week's State Budget has fallen short of the labour movement's expectations, with no provision for public sector pay increases and a surplus which could have been better spent on important social services.


	ASU Rally Outside Parlaiment House

A high-level panel of unionists representing the Labor Council, the Teachers Federation, the Public Service Association, the Australian Services Union and the Australian Workers Union convened a press conference

The avuncular PSA president Maurie O'Sullivan got most of the grabs with his attack on "the duchessing dowagers of the Olympics" taking money which should go to public servants, but the concerns from the unionists were universal.

A Missing Line?

Most concern focussed around the government's decision for the first time to delete the budget item relating to public sector pay rises

Describing the proposition that there would be no extra money for pay rises as "unacceptable", Labor Council secretary Michael Costa said public servants would be looking at increases in line with the private sector average of at least four per cent.

"We would be concerned if public sector workers were expected to subsidise a budget surplus through job cuts or a wages freeze," Costa said.

"At a time when the public sector is being asked to work harder and more professionally than ever, it is not good enough to just ignore public sector pay."

Public sector unions have agreed to coordinate their next wages push under the auspices of the Labor Council for the first time. While unions would be free to negotiate beyond the pay matrix, the co-ordinated approach would ensure a baseline rise for all public sector workers.

Revelations of the size of Police Commissioner Peter Ryan's pay packet will only add impetus to the public sector wages push.

Rallying for Better Services

The Australian Services Union services branch convened a rally with NCOSS the day after the budget to highlight the crisis amongst community service providers.

About 300 social workers voiced their concerns about the impact of government spending decisions in the wake of a member survey showing 50 per cent of workers had to turn people away because of lack of resources.

Alison Peters told the rally that ordinary people were being left out of the budget process.

"The non-government community service sector is in crisis and has been for some time," Peters said. "There is an increased demand for services and resources are stretched to breaking point."

"While the increases for some programs is welcomed they are not enough. The ASU is increasingly concerned about the growing divide between the haves and the have nots.

Peters said the other notable thing about the budget is that Government Trading Enterprises such as Sydney Water and the electricity distributors and public transport authorities are not included in the budget.

"We do know the Government is seeking greater dividends from the GTEs. In state rail there will be less subsidies. This puts increasing pressure on the GTEs to make savings. We know this means more job losses."

Moore on the Budget

NCOSS's Garry Moore addressed the Labor Council's weekly meeting, expanding on his comments from the rally.

Key concerns for NCOSS are:

- DOCS spending budgeted to be $30 million less than last year.

- a $6 million cap placed on foster care

- Juvenile Justice to receive a $5.2 million cut, but to open three new centres.

- $200,000 cut to the Ethnic Affairs interpretation service

- cutting 50 inspectors from the Department of Gaming and Racing

- charging low-income earners a co-payment for using the state Dental Service

For more of Gary's budget reaction see this week's Interview.

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Issue 19 contents

Interview: Moore for the Battlers
NCOSS director Garry Moore gives the community sector's response to this week's State Budget

Unions: AWU's Bush Blitz
"This is AWU Country". That's the slogan for the Australian Workers Union as it launches its campaign to address the specific needs of workers throughout regional and rural Australia.

Indigenous: Nowhere to Run, Nowhere to Hide
A United Nations committee slams Australia on indigenous native title rights.

International: Unions Post-War Stand
The world labour group demands KFOR track war-crimes authors and says social dimension central to Balkan reconstruction.

History: How Swede It Was
Swedish seafarers play an important role in South Australia's maritime history.

Review: If He Had Only Listened To Me ...
If Michael Thompson had listened to me the current debate raging in the nationï¿½s opinion pages about his book may not have been as hysterical.

» Dirty Linen: Cleaners Beat Hotel Giant

» New Years Pay: Casino Workers Win Triple Time

» Budget Gaps Tell Bigger Story

» Oakdale Miners Take On Canberra

» Second Wave Means Zero Tolerance

» For Olympicï¿½s Sake Letï¿½s Become Weekend Warriors

» Brassed Off: Birch Not Out of the Woods

» No Ship is an Island

» Firey Country Conference to Fuel Bush Resurgence

» Pay Anniversary Marks New Challenges

» Join the Labor Council Team!