Members of public sector unions are poised to take industrial action, including strikes and work bans in support of pay claims following a vote of union leaders last Friday (19 September).
The Community and Public Sector Union's Governing Council voted to include protected industrial action in their campaign against the Federal Government's bargaining position.
The Council was told that after months of negotiation in more than 70 Agencies not one had been able to present an acceptable agreement to its staff.
National Secretary of the CPSU, Nadine Flood said the Government was targeting rights that public sector workers had built up over decades.
''Today we say no. We will not accept cuts to the rights and conditions of 165,000 public sector workers," Ms Flood said.
"We are asking 165,000 government workers to come together to protect their jobs, their rights, their conditions and their future,'' she said.
Possible industrial action likely
"Taking industrial action is a last resort and we would prefer to resolve this issue at the bargaining table. But this Government is refusing to sit down with us to try and find a sensible outcome. Instead it has chosen to attack Public Servants and the CPSU.''
The decision taken by the CPSU Governing Councillors meant industrial action was now more likely.
"This is not a step we have taken lightly but reflects the growing concern among Public Servants because of the Government's hard-line stance," Ms Flood said.
"We remain willing to talk but we have had nothing from this Government.
"Workers have taken an important step and have shown they are prepared to use protected industrial action to make the Government see sense and change their harsh and aggressive bargaining position.''
The CPSU Governing Council voted to endorse ''the use of protected industrial action that is consistent with the provisions of the Fair Work Act 2009, mobilising workers and commencing preparations to allow members to take protected industrial action that is required to protect their rights.''
Ms Flood said the industrial action could take the form of work bans, stoppages, strikes and a range of other campaign activities.
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