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Home » 2008 » #757 » Australian News » NSW public sector 'day of action' for July 30

Graham Matthews, Sydney

On July 3, NSW public-sector delegates met at Unions NSW and unanimously endorsed a resolution calling for “a day of action on July 30th where members will be called upon to demonstrate the extent the public relies on services delivered by public sector workers”. Public sector workers will “withdraw their goodwill” on the day, Unions NSW secretary John Robertson said at a press conference on July 3, although he has ruled out any strike action.

The protest will focus on the Iemma government’s refusal to offer public sector workers more than a 2.5% increase in wages without “productivity” tradeoffs.

The exact form that the day of action will take was not determined by the meeting, which also called for “the campaign committee to meet with the Premier regarding wages policy, OH & S and the State IR System”, and that “a further meeting of delegates be convened to consider further action if the outcomes of the meeting with the Premier are unsatisfactory”.

Actions including the non-collection of fines and bans on overtime were mentioned by Robertson as some of the possible forms of action that might be considered.

Individual unions will determine what action their members will take on the day.

The meeting also called on the government to retain the separate NSW industrial relations system and to protect public sector workers’ occupational health and safety conditions if NSW does join the national IR system being suggested by the Rudd government.

No motion was taken on the campaign against the privatisation of electricity in NSW at the meeting.

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