United Voice

If passed, the bill will make it illegal for the Barnett government to privatise hospitals and schools.
The Barnett  government has a clear privatisation agenda and has already announced that it plans to privatise the Fiona Stanley Hospital, Midland Health Campus, Albany Regional Hospital and the Princess Margaret Hospital for Children.
Thousands of health and education support workers will now go and ask their members of parliament to back the bill so that public services can be protected, accountability is ensured and decent levels of patient care are upheld.

They will also be taking petitions into their electorate asking members of the general public to back the bill so that MPs know exactly what their electorate thinks about the privatisation of essential services.
Carlisle-based Stephanie Hayman, a patient care assistant at Royal Perth Hospital said she and fellow workers were worried about the safety of their jobs and working conditions if privatisation was rolled out.
“Private firms are there to make a profit so they are going to want more bang for their buck from we workers. The extra work loads and pressure won’t be good for us and it’s going to have a knock-on effect for patient care.
“I’m also a user of the health care system and I’m worried for its future if the government carries on down this road of privatisation.
“It was great to go to parliament and see Labor taking on this important fight with the government. We’re going to help them in any way we can.”

Dave Kelly, secretary of LHMU WA, said the public ownership of essential services is crucial because this provides for a system of accountability and responsibility.
“Barnett’s privatisation agenda is an attack on standards in schools and hospitals. The people in these workplaces, the doctors, nurses, cleaners and admin staff, work as a team. If they are accountable to different employers, public accountability and responsibility is lost.
“Privatisation also gives the government the opportunity to step back from its responsibilities. When something goes wrong with a privatised service in a hospital, it gives Kim Hames the opportunity to pass the buck to the company running it when really it should be him who is answerable.
“This government seems to have a short memory when it comes to privatisation. There were serious problems with infection rates and a decline in standards when hospital and school cleaning services were privatized. So why are they doing it again?”