Union protests disability services privatisation

A GROUP of Health and Community Services Union (HACSU) members protested against the privatisation of disability services outside a meeting of state MPs in Torquay last week.

Protestors gathered at Peppers the Sands Resort on Thursday, where Victorian government MPs were meeting to discuss future planning issues and voiced their disappointment over the recent announcement that state disability services will soon be privatised.

HACSU state secretary, Lloyd Williams, said disability services workers were appalled by what he said were “broken promises”.

Mr Williams said.

“Before the election Daniel Andrews promised at numerous public events not to contract out public disability disability services. Twelve months later they have now set out a process to work through how they can contract out.”

Mr Williams said the change will mean public disability services staff wages could be cut by up to 30 per cent and the knock on effect would be a lack of quality care for some of the community’s most vulnerable members.

“Privatising public disability services will create massive chaos and disruption to the delivery of quality disability services for people with a disability and their families for years to come.

“It will lower quality outcomes as hardworking have their job security, careers and wages smashed by the privatisation process.”

Member for South Barwon Andrew Katos echoed the protestor’s calls, saying “the Andrews government has made a commitment, saying they wouldn’t do exactly what they are doing.

“These workers have families and mortgages and bills like all of us and the support they give to disabled people in our communtiy is invaluable.

“Daniel Andrews needs to honour the commitment he has made to these people.”