The Department of Natural Resources and Environment walked away from our in-principle Parks and Wildlife Agreement. In response, PWS members are stepping up to take industrial action to force the Department to honour the offer made in negotiations in November. Parks and Wildlife members will have received a ballot for industrial action in their email on Friday 29 July.
Asking nicely clearly isn’t good enough for the Department, so we are going to have to force them to make good on their promises. It’s important to remember that our strength in union comes from our ability as workers to collectively withhold our labour. We do all the work, so we have all the power! Our best way of showing just how necessary and essential we are, is to demonstrate how much of a disruption it would be if we stopped doing it. If we’re going to lock in agreements that eliminate systematic wage theft, and secure good pay rises in a cost-of-living crisis, you and your co-workers need to be ready to take action.
After balloting for action workers at Parks and Wildlife will take two weeks of action beginning 29 August. We will have rolling and spot actions across these two weeks as defined by members and delegates across Field and Visitor Centres. Taking collective action today to back in this agreement will get us fighting fit for our Public Sector Union Wages Agreement.
Collective action gets the goods, but it only works if we all participate. Building that kind of solidarity can be difficult. It’s my job as your organiser to help you with the skills, support, advice, and tools to build active unions in your workplace, and become strike ready. Building this kind of power starts will a full assessment of where we are currently; this is done though workplace mapping.
Workplace mapping can be a great way for members who have never been active in their union before to get started building worker power. Our union is our members, and our strength comes from our members. Step up and get involved in mapping your workplace today!
Send me an email at mmcloughlin@tas.cpsu.com.au or call me on 0407 065 662 today to get the tools and training you need to map your workplace and build worker power!
