WA public sector union members strike over pay dispute, government calls for good faith negotiations

ABC NEWS (Australia)

Union members across WA's public sector have walked off the job amid an ongoing pay dispute with the state government. The government maintains that its offer is fair and reasonable and has urged the union to negotiate in good faith.

Transcript

00:00Hundreds gathered, united by one cause.

00:06Who's state?

00:07Our state!

00:08Who's state?

00:09Our state!

00:10From health care to child protection, workers across WA's public sector fighting for better

00:16pay, dignity and respect.

00:19Workers say colleagues are leaving their sectors in droves and new employees don't last very

00:24long.

00:25We are here trying to get our wages met to the increase of cost of living.

00:30Show some respect and share the wealth of the country, share the budget surpluses, share

00:35it amongst the people.

00:37Multiple public sector unions want a 7% pay rise in the first year and 5% in the second.

00:43Increases the state government is calling unrealistic, offering between 3 and 5% depending

00:49on the industry.

00:51We urge them to negotiate in good faith.

00:54We have fair offers on the table.

00:57If you don't have a fair outcome and if you blow the budget, that means job cuts into

01:02the future.

01:03But unions WA say it won't stop pushing for higher wages.

01:07That's a threat that every single employer rolls out and every single bargaining that

01:10we see every single year.

01:12That's classic employer behaviour and a classic employer line.

01:15A warning of potential action to come.

01:20For more UN videos visit www.un.org

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