United Voice News
School workers shame Barnett at parliament
Education assistants, cleaners and gardeners in government schools staged raucous protests at a series of stop work meetings across Western Australia.
In Perth city, around 700 LHMU members gathered outside state parliament on Thursday morning to voice their disgust at Troy Buswell’s paltry pay offer of 2.5% and the government’s handling of the dispute.
At parliament, state premier Colin Barnett was drowned out with chants of “shame on you” and booing as he told the workers gathered to abide by the Industrial Relations Commission’s order banning the action and “go back to school”.
Mr Barnett said he understood and recognized that school workers were low paid but did not say he would bring the pay offer up to the 20% he gave teachers.
'Miserable' pay offer
Leader of the opposition Eric Ripper also addressed the sea of LHMU members brandishing banners and posters, telling them the pay offer was “miserable” and that the government had no moral authority to make them stop their industrial action.
“After the global financial crisis they gave a good increase to teachers, to the police and to senior members of their own government. They should do the same with your 2.5% pay offer. Labor are with you in your campaign,” he said.
Dave Kelly, secretary of the LHMU, said he was pleased Mr Barnett had taken up his invitation to address the stop work meeting but added the premier had wasted the opportunity.
“He gave us no explanation whatsoever as to why the wage offer is not being increased. Did he think people were just going to swallow it and go back to school like he told them?
“I think our members made it loud and clear what they think of Mr Barnett’s so-called understanding of their situation. He has absolutely no clue about the hard work and dedication put in by education assistants, cleaners and gardeners at schools across Western Australia. If he did he’d come back with a pay offer that wasn’t insulting.
“He wanted a pat on the back for going back on his treasurer’s policy of stopping the pay of people who performed very minor work bans. But our members made it clear that they haven’t forgotten about the government bullying or their aim to get a decent pay deal.”
Elsewhere in the state, around 200 LHMU members marched through the centre of Bunbury and swarmed into local Liberal MP John Castrilli’s office demanding to know why he didn’t support them and was instead towing the government line.
In Geraldton, about 40 members protested noisily at National party politician Grant Woodhams’ and Liberal member Ian Blayney’s offices before handing over letters to their staff which asked why the MPs were not supporting school workers.
In Narrogin, more than 25 turned out and similar numbers were seen in Port Hedland and Karratha.
In Kalgoorlie, approximately 20 members gathered at the local post office before writing to National Party leader Brendon Grylls to explain that a 44c an hour wage increase was an insult and to demand that he back him rather than the government.
In Carnarvon, school workers again called on National Party MP Vincent Catania to have the guts to back their campaign in parliament like he promised to and to side with all members not just the ones in his seat. In Exmouth, every member in the coastal town turned out to protest at the post office before writing to Mr Grylls.
In Esperance, members gathered at the local post office, wrote letters to Mr Grylls and collected 130 names for a petition which called on the National leader to stand up for country members. A petition with 14,000 names on it calling on Mr Barnett and Mr Grylls to act has already been tabled at parliament.
Nationals fail
Mr Grylls had also been invited to address the stop work meeting at parliament but did not even reply let alone speak to members.
Dave Kelly, secretary of the LHMU, said: “This would have been his opportunity to show our members in the country that the National party wants to represent them rather than go along with what the liberals say because they’re enjoying being in government.
“They should be using their influence to pressure Barnett and Buswell but Mr Grylls’ silence speaks volumes.
“It’s a cowardly attitude to take. Surely he more than anyone else understands that living in the country is more expensive than the city and rising costs mean our members are going to struggle even further under the pay offer he’s sanctioned.”
