{"id":10630,"date":"2020-05-21T09:43:55","date_gmt":"2020-05-20T23:43:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/development.uwu.org.au\/staging\/?p=10630"},"modified":"2025-07-28T15:31:35","modified_gmt":"2025-07-28T05:31:35","slug":"petition-launch-to-end-treasurers-hidden-agenda-for-health-workers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/development.uwu.org.au\/staging\/archive\/petition-launch-to-end-treasurers-hidden-agenda-for-health-workers\/","title":{"rendered":"Petition launch to end Treasurer\u2019s hidden agenda for health workers"},"content":{"rendered":"

MEDIA RELEASE<\/strong><\/h4>\n

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Petition launch to end Treasurer\u2019s hidden agenda for health workers<\/strong><\/p>\n

Today South Australian health care workers launched a petition<\/a> to Treasurer Rob Lucas.<\/p>\n

The Treasurer refuses to roll over an agreement to uphold the current working conditions for thousands of essential health care workers.<\/p>\n

In light of the current COVID crisis, workers volunteered to roll over their workplace agreement, keeping the status quo, so they can focus on delivering services and keeping the community safe.<\/p>\n

\u201cLucas and the Liberal Government\u2019s refusal to roll over the current agreement, in favour of attacking workers during a pandemic, have revealed their true agenda\u201d said Paul Blackmore, United Workers Union Public Sector Coordinator.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe changes proposed by the government would create a pathway to cut jobs and privatise and outsource services wherever they can.<\/p>\n

\u201cOnce this happens, they will have no direct control of essential community services and workers will be worse off.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Treasurer faced a barrage of questions from Labor, SA Best and the Greens during Question Time last week who have all expressed their support for a rollover of the current agreement.<\/p>\n

When asked about the removal of important security of employment provisions and the removal of redundancy, redeployment and retraining provisions in Question Time last Wednesday the Treasurer responded: \u201cwe don\u2019t view those particular clauses in the same way [the honourable member does].\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThis goes to show the Treasurer\u2019s attitude towards protecting the jobs of essential workers, including those who have been on the frontline of the COVID-19 crisis,\u201d said Mr Blackmore.<\/p>\n

Background <\/strong><\/p>\n

On May 6, Lucas told InDaily he would \u201cnegotiate in good faith for sensible and reasonable salary increases.\u201d However, he conceded he did not favour a rollover of existing conditions, saying: \u201cWe want to see significant changes if we could.\u201d<\/p>\n

United Workers Union wrote to Lucas on May 8 and stated: \u201cFor the absence of doubt I confirm our position that we seek a 12 month roll-over of the current agreement with a 2% increase payable 1 July 2020. This is consistent with your public statements regarding wages outcomes in the public sector and a current offer made to other front line public sector workers.\u201d<\/p>\n

In a meeting last week, Government negotiators, under instructions from the Treasurer, refused to rollover the agreement with a wage increase, in favour of attacking workers\u2019 rights.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

ENDS<\/strong><\/p>\n

Media Contact: <\/strong>1300 898 633, media@unitedworkers.org.au<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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