Child protection and family support workers across WA have been an integral part of the public sector’s rolling industrial action. Photo: CPSU/CSA.
The Western Australian Government has successfully negotiated industrial agreements with doctors, hospital support workers and a quarter of the public sector – but more work is still ahead.
Industrial Relations Minister Simone McGurk celebrated the state’s progress after months of rolling action. However, she noted further engagement to be done with other occupations, specifically those covered under the Public Sector Civil Service Association Agreement 2022.
The Community and Public Sector Union/Civil Service Association (CPSU/CSA) represents 44,000 general public sector workers (one quarter of the WA public sector), including child protection officers, youth custodial officers, park rangers, veterinary scientists and dental technicians.
Last week its workplace delegates recommended members vote on the WA Government’s second offer for a replacement agreement. The union’s governing council agreed, noting improvements in pay, greater access to parental leave and permanency and significant improvements for regional public sector workers.
On Monday (16 September) the ballot opened for a period of two weeks. CPSU/CSA Acting Branch Secretary Melanie Bray said it was now up to the membership to decide if the offer was enough.
“This second and improved offer for pay and conditions from the government last week would not have been on the table without the hundreds of public sector workers across our state, from the CBD to Kununurra and to Fremantle, taking visible and powerful collective action outside of their workplaces,” she said.
“While this offer has unfortunately not delivered on some of the progressive and important claims of our members, the conversation has well and truly begun.
“We look forward to continuing to progress these items in future rounds of bargaining, and though our collective union efforts continue the fight to improve the working lives of our members who deliver essential services to the state of Western Australia.”
Acting Branch Secretary Melanie Bray said the action had “led to pay rises that will start to catch up from the years of restrictive wages caps and conditions that reflect a modern workplace and public sector”. Photo: CPSU/CSA.
Workers of the WA Health system had their own victories in the past fortnight.
Minister McGurk secured an agreement with the more than 46,000 workers covered under the Public Sector Wages Policy Statement 2023 – including teachers, TAFE lecturers, VenuesWest employees, transit officers, and hospital support workers.
She said more than 5000 hospital support workers accepted a salary offer, bringing them a wage increase of $65 per week in each year of a three-year period.
This agreement also introduced measures to support retention and development, including changes and uplift to shift penalties, along with expanded access to study leave so workers can build their careers in WA public hospitals.
Recently members of the Australian Medical Association (WA) also voted in favour (86 per cent) of a three-year deal. It will bring an immediate 4.75 per cent salary increase to about 7800 medical practitioners, along with further increases in 2025 (3.75 per cent) and 2026 (3 per cent).
This was the second offer from WA Health and included several new and improved conditions of employment.
An initial offer was formally rejected by the AMA (WA) union bargaining committee as according to the AMA (WA) it fell short in key areas, particularly regarding the attraction and retention of quality medical practitioners. Some of the additions include recognising general practitioners and rural generalists as specialists, enhancing overtime provisions for doctors in training, and reforming rostering provisions.
Despite recognising that several important issues remain unresolved, the union viewed this offer as a substantial step forward. It is now working with WA Health to finalise the drafting and progress registration of the replacement agreement.
