Talks in ACT government dispute

By Sue Bull

CANBERRA — In the last two weeks, unions involved in the ACT public sector pay claim dispute have begun to negotiate separate agreements with the Carnell minority Liberal government.

The picket on the Legislative Assembly has been lifted because the Trades and Labour Council disbanded the combined effort and suggested that each union go its own way.

The Transport Workers Union and the Australian Workers Union have negotiated pay increases of 10.1% over 30 months. In the case of the TWU, this is with promises of no job losses and a no privatisation clause.

All unions are now in formal negotiations with the government, although the Community and Public Sector Union and the Australian Nurses Federation have rejected their offers at this stage.

The Australian Education Union also considers its offer unacceptable, especially since it has been given a cut of 0.8% due to a late response — further evidence of the Carnell government's determination to isolate unions and beat them into submission. Consequently, most bans are still in place, although the unity and high morale of the campaign have begun to dwindle.

Most observers believe that the campaign may end soon as the government has agreed to no forced redundancies and slightly higher wage outcomes than at the beginning, although it has been successful in gaining separate union or agency agreements, as well as efficiency measures.

From GLW issue 225