Post by Banjo on Nov 17, 2014 14:41:49 GMT 7
Centrelink, Medicare workers vote to take industrial action over Federal Government's pay offer
Staff at Centrelink, Medicare and the Child Support Agency have voted in favour of taking industrial action in response to stalled enterprise bargaining negotiations with the Federal Government.
The decision by workers at the Department of Human Services (DHS) could mean welfare or health payments are disrupted before Christmas.
The union which represents public servants, the Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU), held an online ballot asking workers about whether they wanted to take part in industrial action on public sector pay and conditions.
According to the CPSU, close to 80 per cent of the department's 15,000 staff took part in the ballot and 95 per cent voted in favour of industrial action.
CPSU national secretary Nadine Flood said workers expressed their anger at having their rights and conditions stripped away.
"Like the Australian Defence Force, working mums at Centrelink and Medicare are being asked to cop cuts to leave and other rights, as well as pay offers less than 1 per cent," she said.
But unlike the military they are allowed to protest and take industrial action, and this result now sends a clear message to Government that it is time to sit down and sort these problems out."
In a statement, the Minister responsible for public sector bargaining, Senator Eric Abetz, accused the CPSU of making irresponsible wage claims at a time when the nation could not afford it.
"The CPSU should abandon its irresponsible claim for a 12 per cent wage rise, which is simply not affordable and, if granted, would cost the jobs of 10,000 public servants," he said.
"Any wage increase will see a further increase in Australia's borrowings. This claim is not about profit sharing but increasing our debt which taxpayers will need to repay with interest.
"It is concerning that the CPSU's irresponsible industrial action threatens to disrupt Centrelink and Medicare services to millions of Australia in the lead up to Christmas."
However Ms Flood rejected claims welfare recipients would be left without cash.
"The target here is the Federal Government, not the community, and we expect industrial action to start within the next month," she said.
"But Minister Eric Abetz has made some fairly extravagant claims that we will be targeting Centrelink payments in the run up to Christmas. [Those claims] are just plain wrong, the CPSU has never said anything of the sort.
"Our members' actions will be directed at the department and the Government, not at the payments that families and pensioners rely on."
A similar workplace ballot is expected to be held shortly for staff at the Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA).
www.abc.net.au/news/2014-11-17/centrelink-medicare-workers-vote-to-take-industrial-action/5897390
Staff at Centrelink, Medicare and the Child Support Agency have voted in favour of taking industrial action in response to stalled enterprise bargaining negotiations with the Federal Government.
The decision by workers at the Department of Human Services (DHS) could mean welfare or health payments are disrupted before Christmas.
The union which represents public servants, the Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU), held an online ballot asking workers about whether they wanted to take part in industrial action on public sector pay and conditions.
According to the CPSU, close to 80 per cent of the department's 15,000 staff took part in the ballot and 95 per cent voted in favour of industrial action.
CPSU national secretary Nadine Flood said workers expressed their anger at having their rights and conditions stripped away.
"Like the Australian Defence Force, working mums at Centrelink and Medicare are being asked to cop cuts to leave and other rights, as well as pay offers less than 1 per cent," she said.
But unlike the military they are allowed to protest and take industrial action, and this result now sends a clear message to Government that it is time to sit down and sort these problems out."
In a statement, the Minister responsible for public sector bargaining, Senator Eric Abetz, accused the CPSU of making irresponsible wage claims at a time when the nation could not afford it.
"The CPSU should abandon its irresponsible claim for a 12 per cent wage rise, which is simply not affordable and, if granted, would cost the jobs of 10,000 public servants," he said.
"Any wage increase will see a further increase in Australia's borrowings. This claim is not about profit sharing but increasing our debt which taxpayers will need to repay with interest.
"It is concerning that the CPSU's irresponsible industrial action threatens to disrupt Centrelink and Medicare services to millions of Australia in the lead up to Christmas."
However Ms Flood rejected claims welfare recipients would be left without cash.
"The target here is the Federal Government, not the community, and we expect industrial action to start within the next month," she said.
"But Minister Eric Abetz has made some fairly extravagant claims that we will be targeting Centrelink payments in the run up to Christmas. [Those claims] are just plain wrong, the CPSU has never said anything of the sort.
"Our members' actions will be directed at the department and the Government, not at the payments that families and pensioners rely on."
A similar workplace ballot is expected to be held shortly for staff at the Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA).
www.abc.net.au/news/2014-11-17/centrelink-medicare-workers-vote-to-take-industrial-action/5897390