❓ Mr. Love questions the Premier on wage negotiations with public sector workers, particularly nurses and police, contrasting it with the DFES technicians' situation. The Premier defends the government's wage policy, highlighting successful negotiations with most unions and attributing past constraints to budget repair.
AnsweredQoN 894Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
PUBLIC SECTOR WAGES
POLICY
894. Mr R.S. LOVE to the Premier:
Before I ask my question, I acknowledge
the people who have lost their homes—18 homes have been lost—and
the significant damage that has occurred across the Cities of Wanneroo and
Swan. I also acknowledge and thank the many firefighters and community services
who have been involved in protecting and supporting families and individuals at
this time.
I refer to the strained wage
negotiations between this government and sections of the public sector that
have now evolved into calls for the government's blanket policy to be scrapped
and has forced nurses and police to consider running for Parliament to be
heard. Why has the government managed to find a solution for Department of Fire
and Emergency Services technicians, but it has refused to find solutions for
frontline services such as nurses and police? Perhaps they could be
reclassified as the government supposedly did with the DFES technicians.
POLICY
894. Mr R.S. LOVE to the Premier:
Before I ask my question, I acknowledge
the people who have lost their homes—18 homes have been lost—and
the significant damage that has occurred across the Cities of Wanneroo and
Swan. I also acknowledge and thank the many firefighters and community services
who have been involved in protecting and supporting families and individuals at
this time.
I refer to the strained wage
negotiations between this government and sections of the public sector that
have now evolved into calls for the government's blanket policy to be scrapped
and has forced nurses and police to consider running for Parliament to be
heard. Why has the government managed to find a solution for Department of Fire
and Emergency Services technicians, but it has refused to find solutions for
frontline services such as nurses and police? Perhaps they could be
reclassified as the government supposedly did with the DFES technicians.
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for the question
and echo his sentiments that were similar to mine in my brief ministerial statement
thanking everyone part of the efforts to resolve the issues around the
Mariginiup bushfire emergency.
In a word it is called ''negotiation'',
member. It is not something that you in government were known for when it came to the wages and conditions of workers. Over
90 per cent of public sector workers are now covered under the arrangements associated with our public sector wages policy, and we are very
proud and pleased with the progress that we have made around these things. The
key issues that our friends at the Australian Nursing Federation were looking
for included a wages outcome, which we have provided to it, including a $3 000
cost-of-living allowance and the nurse-to-patient ratios that we have committed
to as well. I know that the Australian Nursing Federation believes that more
should be on the table in relation to that, but we have come substantially
towards its position, and continue to negotiate and discuss in good faith in
relation to that. But we have our public sector wages policy, and over 90 per cent
of workers are now covered under that. We have one agreement to go. I am not
quite sure why the member believes that represents a process that is strained
or has come to a halt when there is 90 per cent coverage and only one agreement
to go.
We continue to talk with our public
sector unions and their members about what the future looks like for the next
round of agreements. I addressed a town hall meeting of well over 500 workers,
just a few weeks ago now, to talk to them about their needs as public sector
workers and their cost of living and how we can work together in the next round
of negotiations. Just yesterday, I met with and addressed a meeting of the WA
Police Union with the Minister for Police. We are working through all these
issues. Quite frankly, I am not quite sure why the member believes that this is
a situation that he would draw to our attention, because it allows to us
reflect on the fact that, yes, we had a wages policy. It was tough. It was
called budget repair. It was about fixing up the mess that the previous
government left us—the ruinous state of our state finances because of
you. The fact of matter is that we needed to
do budget repair, and part of the costs for government is wages; therefore,
that had to be part of the equation and the toolbox that we used to
remedy the situation. We will continue to make sure that we work with workers
and negotiate with them. That is what we do. We negotiate as part of a strong
relationship to make sure that we produce a great outcome.
The nurses' federation has said that it is interested
in running candidates at the next election. So be it. That is its right. It is the right of everyone to put
themselves up for election. I am not concerned about that. I embrace democracy .
I look forward to the contest of ideas. I think the Leader of the Opposition is
the one who should be more concerned about them running a candidate.
and echo his sentiments that were similar to mine in my brief ministerial statement
thanking everyone part of the efforts to resolve the issues around the
Mariginiup bushfire emergency.
In a word it is called ''negotiation'',
member. It is not something that you in government were known for when it came to the wages and conditions of workers. Over
90 per cent of public sector workers are now covered under the arrangements associated with our public sector wages policy, and we are very
proud and pleased with the progress that we have made around these things. The
key issues that our friends at the Australian Nursing Federation were looking
for included a wages outcome, which we have provided to it, including a $3 000
cost-of-living allowance and the nurse-to-patient ratios that we have committed
to as well. I know that the Australian Nursing Federation believes that more
should be on the table in relation to that, but we have come substantially
towards its position, and continue to negotiate and discuss in good faith in
relation to that. But we have our public sector wages policy, and over 90 per cent
of workers are now covered under that. We have one agreement to go. I am not
quite sure why the member believes that represents a process that is strained
or has come to a halt when there is 90 per cent coverage and only one agreement
to go.
We continue to talk with our public
sector unions and their members about what the future looks like for the next
round of agreements. I addressed a town hall meeting of well over 500 workers,
just a few weeks ago now, to talk to them about their needs as public sector
workers and their cost of living and how we can work together in the next round
of negotiations. Just yesterday, I met with and addressed a meeting of the WA
Police Union with the Minister for Police. We are working through all these
issues. Quite frankly, I am not quite sure why the member believes that this is
a situation that he would draw to our attention, because it allows to us
reflect on the fact that, yes, we had a wages policy. It was tough. It was
called budget repair. It was about fixing up the mess that the previous
government left us—the ruinous state of our state finances because of
you. The fact of matter is that we needed to
do budget repair, and part of the costs for government is wages; therefore,
that had to be part of the equation and the toolbox that we used to
remedy the situation. We will continue to make sure that we work with workers
and negotiate with them. That is what we do. We negotiate as part of a strong
relationship to make sure that we produce a great outcome.
The nurses' federation has said that it is interested
in running candidates at the next election. So be it. That is its right. It is the right of everyone to put
themselves up for election. I am not concerned about that. I embrace democracy .
I look forward to the contest of ideas. I think the Leader of the Opposition is
the one who should be more concerned about them running a candidate.
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