Shadow Minister for Public Employment, Bill Yan, says Territory frontline workers are worth more than a four year pay freeze and it’s time the Gunner Labor Government stop punishing the public service for his budget blowouts.
“Michael Gunner wants our frontline workers to keep doing the same job, for the same wage for four years, despite the fact Darwin has the highest cost of living expenses in the country – compared with every other capital city.
“Territory nurses are calling for an increase in pay and better working conditions – and it’s what they deserve.
“Our nurses have gone above and beyond to keep Territorians safe throughout the pandemic, while struggling to manage the day to day health needs of the Territory due to a crippling workload and unsustainable staff shortages. They have been abandoned by Labor through five code yellows since February 2021 at RDH, and a Territory-wide “pause” on elective surgeries – which as we know is just a code yellow by another name.
“Instead of rewarding them, Michael Gunner wants to punish them with a four year pay freeze because he’s blown the Territory’s debt out to $8 billion and has no plan to rein in spending.
“Corrections staff in Darwin and Alice Springs launched protected strike action on Monday in protest of Labor’s pay freeze and “chronic” understaffing – walking off the job for 12 hours.
“The CLP supports Langoulant’s ‘Plan for Budget Repair’ – which will give our frontline workers a salary increase of $1,000 per year. That’s real wages growth complete with superannuation and leave entitlements, which provides security and opportunity. It’s what they deserve,” said Mr Yan.
ENDS