Qld PSU members act against cuts

By Bill Mason

BRISBANE - Meetings of members of the Public Sector Union in the Department of Social Security here have voted to impose additional half-day office closures as an expression of "deep concern" over funding cuts to salary budgets and other resource areas.

Meeting during the week ending January 14, PSU members acted sharply to reduce opening hours in response to threats to overtime, loss of higher duties, lack of recruitment, no promotions and pressure to move staff from one region to another.

The impact of such cuts would be increased stress, heavier workloads and reduced service to the public.

The PSU resolution stated that the campaign would continue until a "satisfactory settlement is negotiated".

The launch of a renewed anti-cuts campaign in Queensland follows the election of a new state leadership of the PSU in December.

The election has been widely seen as a rejection of the national PSU's pro-enterprise bargaining stance, and reflects widespread feeling among PSU members here that a new, more militant policy is required to defend wages, jobs and conditions in the public service.

From GLW issue 127