On a day when the Fair Work Commission awarded a 5.2% wage rise for federal minimum wage workers, workplace delegates from public sector unions from across the education, police, health and others public sectors met at Parliament House having invited relevant Ministers to meet with them to negotiate over pay and scrap the 2.75% pay cap.  This is the start of an escalation of action for public sector workers who are fed-up negotiating with departmental personnel who are not empowered to make decisions.

UnionsWA has today commented on the release of the WA Budget and warned that the failure to improve public sector pay policy will make recruitment for needed new positions and retention harder. While the one-off electricity payment is welcome, other State Government charges to households are rising, as are other broader costs of living.

ACTU Secretary Sally McManus has today spoken following the release a UnionsWA survey report on job and wage insecurity among working West Australians.  Financial hardship and the need to find additional hours of work or an extra job were widely reported together with negative impacts on health and lost time with family.

UnionsWA has today commented on the release of data by the Australian Bureau of Statistics that measures the gender pay gap. This, together with other analyses based on ABS data, highlights the importance of improving job security as a pathway to better pay for women.

UnionsWA has today commented on the release by the WA Government of new workplace safety codes providing WA employers and workforce with guidance on how to prevent harassment, violence, including gendered violence and bullying as well as ensuring good psychological health through work. 

UnionsWA has today commented on the release by the WA Government of its’ Mid-year Review that included details of an improved State Wages Policy for our public sector workforce and replaces the existing fixed, low cap.  Another significant policy announcement includes a welcome introduction of a COVID Isolation payment for working people in casual jobs. 

As a part of a massed meeting of public sector union members at Perth Town Hall, UnionsWA has today released new figures that track the decline in real and comparative terms of public sector pay under the WA Government since 2017. Related staff shortages are impacting the quality of health, education and other services as well as unsafe workloads.

UnionsWA has today begun a major campaign of workplace visits, train station handouts and other activities in a call for more secure jobs in WA.

UnionsWA has today welcomed the introduction by the WA Government of its Industrial Relations Legislation Amendment Bill 2021 that will modernise these laws and readdress historic injustices.

UnionsWA has today commented on the WA Budget 2020.

Owen Whittle, Secretary UnionsWA said:

“West Australians need a pay rise.

“The announcement that Government will end the current State Wages Policy by commencing an early review is welcome.