Defending Public Services

The Defending Public Services doorknocking campaign

Out on the streets: see the campaign photos HERE

Latest News

Tragic consequences for children left behind – the Tweed Daily News

Mar 25, 2015

The front page of the Tweed Daily News spotlights a protest by Community Services caseworkers outside the office of Tweed MP Geoff Provest in response to the NSW Government’s failure to properly resource child protection.

Read the Tweed Daily News article HERE

Cuts on the cards as major parties release election policy costings – The Sydney Morning Herald

Mar 24, 2015

Both major parties to take aim at the public sector. Again.

Read The Sydney Morning Herald article HERE

Baird pledge: National disability scheme to start a year early – The Sydney Morning Herald

Mar 24, 2015

Despite problems in the trial in the Hunter region, the Baird Government have announced that the National Disability Insurance Scheme will be fast tracked a year early in Penrith and the Blue Mountains area.

Read The Sydney Morning Herald article HERE

Community Services Caseworkers at Penrith and St Marys also walked on 19 March

Mar 23, 2015

Read the Penrith City Gazette article HERE

Caseworkers walk off the job over staffing – South Coast Register

Mar 20, 2015

And they walked in Nowra.

Read the South Coast Register article HERE

Volunteer for Pre-Poll and Election Day

Mar 20, 2015

The results in Queensland and Victoria in the past few months showed that over a million people in each election voted before polling day.

If you would like to assist with Unions NSW’s pre-poll activity and also on Election Day click HERE

Labor’s position on disability services

Mar 20, 2015

NSW Labor Leader, Luke Foley has made the following statement in relation to disability services.

Read Luke Foley’s statement HERE

DOCS walk out 19 March

Mar 20, 2015

DOCS Coniston 19 March

More pictures

Illawarra’s vulnerable children remain at risk: PSA – Illawarra Mercury

Mar 20, 2015

Community Services Caseworkers in Coniston and Shellharbour also took part in the lunchtime walk out on 19 March in a show of anger at the NSW Government’s failure to properly resource child protection.

Read the Illawarra Mercury article HERE

Shellharbour Community and Family Services walk off the job in protest today – the Kiama Independent Times

Mar 19, 2015

Community services workers in Shellharbour were among those who walked out in anger at lunchtime today over the NSW Government’s failure to properly resource child protection.

Read the Kiama Independent Times HERE

Letter of the day: The privatisation no one is talking about The Sydney Morning Herald

Mar 19, 2015

Sydney Morning Herald reader Kerry Stratton nails it.

Read The Sydney Morning Herald HERE

Child protection workers to strike on Thursday – The Sydney Morning Herald

Mar 19, 2015

Child protection workers in offices across the state walked off the job in anger for an hour at lunchtime today in response to the NSW Government’s failure to properly resource child protection.

Read The Sydney Morning Herald HERE

NSW can pay for needed infrastructure without privatisation – The Northern Star

Mar 19, 2015

Frank Stilwell, Professor, Department of Political Economy at University of Sydney argues there are other options to pay for infrastructure that don’t involve the privatisation of public assets.

Read The Northern Star story HERE

Labor would stop outsourcing of public service jobs to India – The Sydney Morning Herald

Mar 16, 2015

Labor has vowed to block the outsourcing of ServiceFirst.

Read The Sydney Morning Herald story HERE

Overloaded NSW caseworkers forced to ignore child’s pleas for help due to lack of staff – The Daily Telegraph

Mar 16, 2015

Children are being placed at risk due to a lack of care workers in Community Services.

Read The Daily Telegraph article HERE

ServiceFirst petition

Mar 13, 2015

A community run petition has started to support staff at ServiceFirst who are currently under threat of having their jobs outsourced and offshored.

Read more

If Mugabe wouldn’t do it, why are we accepting this extraordinary attack on wages? – The Sydney Morning Herald

Mar 13, 2015

A world view on the complaint lodged by the PSA, ACTU and the CPSU, with the International Labour Organisation, over the NSW government’s attack on fundamental workers’ rights.

Read The Sydney Morning Herald article HERE

TAFE NSW apologises to students for enrolment delays caused by new software – ABC News

Mar 11, 2015

TAFE NSW has apologised for the disruptions to enrolments due to the “Smart and Skilled” fee reforms.

Read the ABC News story HERE

NSW government plans to outsource jobs to India – The Sydney Morning Herald

Mar 6, 2015

The outsourcing of ServiceFirst will not only impact on 300 positions but risk the security of sensitive government data.

Read The Sydney Morning Herald story HERE

Our jobs are not for sale!

Mar 6, 2015

ServiceFirst bulletin 6 March 2015 (PDF version)

PSA members have said it loud and clear

Just like members in disability services, TAFE colleges and electricity, PSA members have spoken out in opposition to the privatisation of ServiceFirst.

Read more

NSW Government accused of breaching international wage standards

Mar 5, 2015

PSA MEDIA RELEASE – NSW GOVERNMENT ACCUSED OF BREACHING INTERNATIONAL WAGE STANDARDS (PDF version)

NSW public servants have lodged a formal complaint with the International Labour Organisation over the government’s attack on fundamental workers’ rights.

Read more

Unions complain to international labour organisation about government attack on wages – The Sydney Morning Herald

Mar 5, 2015

The PSA, the ACTU and the CPSU have joined forces and lodged a formal complaint with the International Labour Organisation over the NSW Government’s attack on fundamental workers’ rights.

Read The Sydney Morning Herald story HERE

New South Wales Government sells $1 billion worth of public assets in past two years – ABC News

Feb 12, 2015

In the last two years the Baird government has sold off $1 billion worth of public assets when it could have borrowed the money at minimal interest rates.

Read the ABC News article HERE

NSW Not For Sale

Feb 18, 2015

View the Unions NSW video against privatisation HERE

Anti-privatisation rally Cessnock

Feb 18, 2015

PSA members rallied in Cessnock on 16 February against the privatisation of disability services. The rally was organised by the Hunter District LCAG and included Clayton Barr, the Labor member for Cessnock.

Newcastle Hamilton TAFE rally

Feb 18, 2015

PSA members rallied outside Hamilton TAFE campus on 17 February where Premier Baird was opening the new offices of the Newcastle Business Chamber.

Rally opposes disability services privatisation – Cessnock Advertiser

Feb 19, 2015

A rally in Cessnock to protest against the privatisation of ADHC went very smoothly.

Read more

Union says it would be cheaper and faster to reopen Grafton jail instead of Kirkconnell – ABC News

Feb 19, 2015

Reopening Grafton prison the better option said POVB Chair, Steve McMahon

Read more

Candidates sign pledge to the community – Western Weekender

Feb 20, 2015

A forum organised by the Penrith Valley Community Unions (PVCU) against privatisation received plenty of support from some, but not all, local candidates in the coming state election.

Read more