One in 10 Vic public sector jobs to go

17:48 AEST Thu Dec 15 2011

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The Victorian government's move to cut 3600 jobs 10 days before Christmas is a "Scrooge act", says the Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU).

Treasurer Kim Wells said the reductions would come via voluntary redundancies among administration and back-office staff and would not affect front-line public employees, such as police and teachers.

CPSU secretary Karen Batt condemned the move to axe 10 per cent of the government workforce and said that by exempting some areas, the impact on others would be huge.

"I think the announcement by the treasurer today is akin to the gift you get on Christmas morning that you can't wait to rush to the stores on Boxing Day to return," she told reporters on Thursday.

"The announcement is both deceitful and disgraceful.

"Ten days before Christmas to announce, unilaterally and with no forewarning, a reduction of 10 per cent of your entire workforce and claim it's not going to have an impact on service delivery is utter nonsense."

Ms Batt said the decision was going back on election promises.

"I believe it's a betrayal. Pre-election the now-premier made a commitment to all public sector workers in this state that no one would be retrenched.

"He also made a commitment that he would fix baseline services. You cannot fix services if you are retrenching staff.

"Regardless of whether it's voluntary or compulsory, you are cutting the workforce by 10 per cent and cutting jobs cuts services."

Mr Wells said public sector growth had been unsustainable in recent years, growing 5.3 per cent since 2006, compared to population growth of two per cent.

However, Ms Batt said the cuts would make public sector workers feel like second class citizens.

"I think this, followed by the attitude that they can only have 2.5 per cent in their wage negotiations, the under-resourcing of their programs, the removal of resources such as cars means they feel like they are second class citizens.

"This will impact that further and frankly I believe the government has got a crisis of morale on its hands and to do this 10 days before Christmas is a Scrooge act."

Source: http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/8390365/one-in-10-vic-public-sector-jobs-to-go

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