Western Australian public servants are mounting an important battle to stop the government terminating their job security as part of an overall government assault on community services. Unionists say thousands of jobs are in danger and public services are threatened.
The Civil Service Association (CSA) has organised a lunchtime rally on March 11 the steps of Parliament House to protest the passage of the Public Sector Reform Bill. The bill will attack work conditions, make sacking staff easier and allow the government to privatise whole areas of service by farming out activities to cash-strapped not-for-profit charitable groups.
It follows repeated slashing of government services by both Labor and Liberal governments. The proportion of public sector workers in WA has fallen from 17% of the workforce in 1997 to 12% in 2008.
"At least 300 public sector jobs will go before June 30", health department CSA delegate Andy Parnell told Green Left Weekly. "Another 5000 jobs will go in the future, if this bill is passed."
WA is facing a budget crisis as the effects of the "Royalties for Regions" deal begin to bite. This deal was made by Liberal Premier Colin Barnett to secure National Party support after the 2008 election. WA hospitals require a $250 million budgetary injection to keep operating, while $120 million of unspent money remains in the Royalties for Regions reserves.
"The Barnett government talks about taking the burden off business", Parnell said. "Instead, it is placing that burden firmly on ordinary people.
"Ironically, both the public and private sector will lose out. For every job lost in the public service, there is a corresponding cut to 1.5 private sector jobs."
All sectors of WA society are beginning to feel the pinch of government cost cutting and rate hikes. Electricity and water prices are due to rise very soon.
Funding for local services has already been cut. The state government component of funding for local libraries, for instance, has been reduced by 40%.
"People pay all these taxes that big business avoids. They deserve better services", Parnell said. "Yet under the Liberals, public services are being cut in nearly every domain at a time when demand already exceeds supply and continues to rise."
Socialist Alliance Fremantle councillor Sam Wainwright said the CSA rally is the beginning of an effort to stop the Liberal/National privatisation campaign. He has been encouraging all members of the community, not just public servants, to attend the rally to help build a campaign that can defeat the attacks. The CSA is also conducting a door-knocking campaign in marginal seats.