WA prison officers to vote on strike

STRIKE GROUND: WA prison officers will vote over whether to take strike action in support of a pay claim. Source: PerthNow

WA prison officers will vote over whether to take strike action in support of a pay claim. Source: The Daily Telegraph

DISGRUNTLED prison officers in West Australia are about to decide whether to strike for a better pay deal as the state election approaches.

The WA Prison Officers Union (WAPOU) has scheduled a meeting for 1.30pm (WST) to vote with a show of hands on a possible strike.

The officers say an existing wage rise offer of nine per cent is inadequate.

They're angry that Australian Nurses Federation members extracted a 14 per cent wage rise from Premier Colin Barnett on the weekend as a ``reward'' for closing some hospital beds, refusing to do certain tasks and threatening to strike.

WAPOU secretary John Welch said the state government had ignored the legitimate concerns of prison officers, who just wanted ``a fair go'' as they faced the significant risk of being assaulted by inmates in the course of their work.

``Someone should tell the premier that his government has changed the playing field with its offer to nurses, and what he's indicated is that the way to negotiate is by taking industrial action,'' Mr Welch said.

After the nurses' stoush was resolved, Mr Barnett denied he had been blackmailed as the March 9 election approached and said he hoped the result would not inspire other unions to take action.

The Liberal leader doesn't only face the prospect of a prison officers' strike.

He's also the target of a Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU) rally on Thursday that will involve a ``march to Colin's palace at parliament'', referring to his new premises at the refurbished Hale House.

The CFMEU is protesting against mining and construction jobs being given to foreign workers and says mining communities are suffering from under-investment in transport, hospitals and schools.
 

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