ACT government workers rally

By Tim Gooden

CANBERRA -- On August 26, 200 Community and Public Sector Union members held a lunchtime rally outside the ACT Legislative Assembly to present a petition to ALP MLA Wayne Berry. The petition calls on the Liberal government to negotiate with the CPSU over its enterprise agreement.

Berry announced he would move a motion in the assembly calling on the chief minister, Kate Carnell, to honour her election promise and include protection from sackings in the next round of enterprise bargaining. The ACT government has proposed no pay increases, cuts to conditions and forced redundancies, and refuses to guarantee not to privatise services.

The spirited rally also heard speakers from the ACT Greens, the Democratic Socialists and the Trades and Labor Council. Concern over the privatisation of public assets was expressed by all speakers. The ACT's electricity and water supplier and the TAB are marked for sale.

CPSU workplace delegates who addressed the rally vowed to fight the ACT government to protect what few jobs and services were left in Canberra after the destruction wrought by the Howard government.

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