Victorian Public Service (VPS) members are protesting Labor’s plans for job cuts. The Community and Public Sector Union (State Public Service Federation) called a protest on March 3, after Voice for Members (V4M) had called one for March 4.
Around 140 people took part in the V4M protest, mostly public service members alongside other unionists and progressive organisations showing their solidarity.
The CPSU rally, of around 200 people, was largely attended by union officials and Victorian Trades Hall Council members.
VPS protest organiser Jiselle Hanna, who is standing as candidate for secretary in the Victorian branch of the Community and Public Sector Union (State Public Service Federation) elections, told the rally: “We will not accept these cuts; we will not let them sell out our futures”.
She emphasised that the CPSU needs to resist the proposed cuts, slated to affect an estimated 2000-3000 jobs across various government departments, with the Department of Fisheries to be hit particularly hard.
Alison Thorn, a lifelong public sector unionist and member of the rank-and-file caucus Democracy for CPSU in the union’s federal public service division, Hollie from the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (ANMF) and two speakers from the VPS also spoke.
The first VPS speaker, who asked to remain anonymous, recounted their six-year experience in the VPS.
“I have seen the gutting of fund in clause 11s [public sector restructuring], budget decision and program cuts driven by politics, not public good.”
They criticised Victorian Labor’s attempt to address the budget deficit with job cuts.
“I have seen – and experienced – the ease with which seemingly good executives will sacrifice [workers] for the benefit of the organisation … driven by efficiency, not humanity, or even legality. We’ve seen the callous disregard for our safety and dignity.”
They also spoke about also how regional services, including schools, will be disproportionately impacted by these cuts and criticised the CPSU SPSF’s willingness to bend to Labor’s demands.
“They have faith our union will bend to their will … but I’m a part of Voice for Members because I know this isn’t the case”.
Voice for Members is the rank-and-file campaign that will be contesting CPSU SPSF Victoria elections.
The second speaker, another public servant who also wished to remain anonymous, read the testimony of a former VPS worker whose job was cut in 2023-2024.
They said the “poor leadership and lack of humanity shown by our senior leaders” stood out.
“During the meetings to discuss the restructure, I distinctly remember the Deputy Secretary speaking about our roles as though we were just numbers on a spreadsheet rather than people.”
The speaker concluded by comparing their time during the restructure to a bad dream. They said they felt good after leaving and had no plans to return to the VPS.
Thorn congratulated the organisers for protesting the proposed cuts. She criticised Labor governments, including Jacinta Allan’s and former Prime Minister Bob Hawke’s in 1987, for being complicit in gutting “our public services”.
“An ‘efficiency dividend’ really means that each and every year there is a cut baked into the budget”, Thorne said.
Hollie from the ANMF spoke about the need for unions to be well organised to combat government decisions to cut staff and wages.
One member noted the difference between the VPS rally and the previous day’s rally called by CPSU SPSF on March 3.
“The CPSU rally felt more like ‘We’re here to support you’, whereas this rally felt more like ‘Let’s fight this together’.”
[Follow A Voice for Members on Instagram. Support the campaign here. Find out more at its website.]