PS Unions Rally to Save our Services

Why is it that Governments see public servants as something only to be costed rather than valued.

Hundreds of CPSU Vic members, supported by members from all Victorian public sector unions rallied outside the offices of the Premier and the Treasurer, where Cabinet was meeting, to provide a public response to the Treasurers ambush announcement that 3,000 jobs are to be cut from the public service.

Well done to all members who attended.
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We rallied because the Treasurer didn’t bother to discuss her decision to pre-empt the outcome of the review when making the announcement to media outlets to cut 3,000 jobs.

We rallied to make it clear and unequivocal to the Cabinet that what was done, and the way it was done, does not wash with the public service workforce.

Unions from across the public sector attended to show that this behaviour is not acceptable and to stand up for our public services and importantly our members who deliver them.

We expected this Government to support public delivery of public services.

Instead, they have played the two classes of employees' card and fallen for the Treasury trick that deliberately spruiks the tired old public service bash rhetoric.

An employer that attacks its own employees and reverts to somehow blaming them for the cost blowouts in programs is cowardly and dishonest.

The Bailleau Government fell for this in 2011 and they lost Government in 2014.

Yet it seems this Government have started to sing from the same song book.

Why is it that Governments only see public servants as something only to be costed rather than valued.

The Treasurer announced she had engaged consultants to undertake a review of the VPS to look for so called “efficiencies”.

This is on top of the never-ending use of consultants across the Service to do VPS work at a significantly higher cost.

The first efficiency surely is staring government in the face - stop using consultants to contract out your thinking and our work.

There are only about 8,000 roles across the state doing the planning, the policy work, project management, procurement, public accountability, and of course payroll, supporting the Government’s legislative and implementation agenda.

But they are constantly subjected to pejoratively being labelled “bureaucrats” who aren’t frontline and the community is led to think these jobs are expendable.

Every job that goes undermines the government’s ability to deliver on its agenda and maintain quality service delivery

These types of announcements destabilise and demoralise public service workplaces.

Our workplaces have already been through three years of restructures.

The Government should take the job cuts threat off the table.

It should work constructively to protect the workforce and to maintain service delivery.

The population is growing at 1.2% to 2% a year and it’s expected to grow to 9 million by 2045. In just twenty years.

Victoria is the place people want to be and that’s why there’s the bigbuild to prepare our infrastructure but demand for quality services is also growing and with Victoria having the lowest public workforce per capita of any state or territory you have to also build our people and their capabilities.

What else you can do:

Write to your local MP and advise them you are ESSENTIAL, and you vote!

In a short email to your local MP, write to them as a constituent advising the work you do is essential and if your work stops not only will it lead to higher unemployment, but explain how your job not existing would negatively impact Victorians. 

We encourage all members to contact their local State MP and ask them to stand up for our services, and our jobs.

 

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Yours in unity

Save Our Services protest:

Monday 3 March, 1 pm

1 Treasury Place (outside)

You may have seen reports in the media today that the Premier and the Treasurer have announced an “independent” review of the Victorian Public Service, and in the next breath pre-empted the outcome of the review by revealing their expectation that thousands of public service jobs would be cut.

The VPS has returned more than $5 billion to the state's coffers in the last three Budgets – there is literally nothing left on the bone to cut.

At the same time, population growth means the demand for services grows too. Who will be left to provide services if the government’s job slashing plans go ahead?

And while we have seen a very small interest rate cut, we are still in the midst of a cost of living crisis. Sacking thousands of people amid this crisis is unconscionable.

Playing frontline/backline distinctions is insulting as everyone equally contributes to the delivery of our public services.

Fighting back requires strength. If any of your workmates are not in the union, please ask them to join now.

Join us at our
Save Our Services protest:

Monday 3 March, 1 pm

1 Treasury Place (outside)

Yours in unity

KAREN BATT
CPSU Victorian Branch Secretary

Rally poster