Public servants strike in WA

by Richard Titelius*

Late last month Western Australia's Community and Public Sector 
Union/Civil Service Association (CPSU/CSA) conducted its first 
sector-wide strike in over 10 years as part of its industrial 
campaign to achieve better wages and conditions. Despite the 
CPSU/CSA having moved from its original claim of 30 percent over 
three years, to 18.9 percent over the same period, the Gallop 
Government, represented by Industrial Relations Minister John 
Kobelke, steadfastly resisted meeting the union's demands.

The Government insulted the union's legitimate claims further 
when it offered three percent — or $25.00 per week, whichever 
was greater — on the eve of the strike.

CPSU/CSA Branch Secretary, Toni Walkington, rejected the offer 
outright and declared that the strike would go ahead.

At the Perth Magistrates Courts, the resolve of members, and even 
some non-members, to strike on the day became increasingly 
evident as the day of the strike loomed closer.

For ten years prior to Gallop's Government coming into power in 
2001, public servants were subjected to agency-based enterprise 
bargaining agreements and workplace agreements (individual 
contracts). The strike action of November 27 was the litmus test 
for the resolve of union members to act as a collective.

The day started well with The West Australian newspaper, 
renowned for its unsympathetic views towards unions, running a 
full front-page story on industrial unrest in the State. The 
public servants' strike featured prominently in the paper.

A picket line of union members and officials was organised for a 
7am start at Parliament House. Unfortunately due to the presence 
of a very small number of union officials and members, it was not 
very effective and most Members of parliament chose to ignore it.

Meanwhile, around the Central Business District a number of 
picket lines were organised to "publicise the reasons for the 
strike and to encourage workers to join the action". The pickets 
were well attended. I participated in a robust picket line 
outside the Perth Magistrates Courts, where about 50 vocal and 
enthusiastic workers handed out leaflets, talked to passers-by 
and the occasional supportive solicitor or judicial officer, and 
generally made their presence felt.

Between 9.30am and 10am members, supporters and union officials 
marched to the picket line outside the Premier's office, where 
Toni Walkington addressed the large, colourful and noisy crowd. 
(It was also a good day for selling The Guardian!) Ms Walkington 
declared the pickets and demonstrations a success in as far as 
they conveyed to a mostly receptive public the difficulties and 
problems associated with public sector restructuring, cut backs, 
etc.

The police recently received a wage increase of 15 percent over 
three years, whilst the State's teachers are still pursuing their 
wage claim through the Industrial Relations Commission. Is it not 
time that the Government recognised the commitment, skills, 
workload and work value of the State's 30,000 public servants?

Minister Kobelke declared the strike "an ineffectual one" and has 
still not moved to improve the Government's offer. He was quoted 
as having said only 750 workers participated in the strike when 
in reality more than 7000 workers did not show up for work on the 
day.

Several services were significantly affected by the strike. The 
Registrar General's Office and most Traffic Licensing Centres, 
for example, were closed on the day.

The union has indicated that it will step up industrial action 
with a series of rolling stoppages, further work bans, picket 
lines and other unspecified actions.

* * *

* Richard Titelius is a CPSU/CSA delegate.