Private or Public Sector?

Public Sector Unions ask States to help

States should help Tsunami rebuilding

By David Carey
Federal Secretary (SPSF Group) - CPSU Joint National Secretary

The world Public Sector union, Public Services International ( PSI ) affiliates in Australia have kicked-off a campaign to encourage State Public Sector Electricity and Water Companies to look to help rebuild the infrastructure of countries affected by the Asian Tsunami.

The campaign was outlined to the ACTU meeting in Sydney on the 20th January. Two Australian PSI Affiliates, the ASU and the CPSU SPSF, said their unions would be pushing Australian State Governments to commit to the rebuilding efforts in the Tsunami affected regions in Asia.

The target of the campaign is to get publicly owned Australian and other Energy & Water corporations to work together to assist the rebuilding of infrastructure in Asia. Australian publicly owned energy companies have been involved in a range of construction projects across the region and have strong contacts with Asian publicly owned Corporations.

The unions have approached the largest Energy and Water Corporation Owners in Australia, the New South Wales Government, to ask to the Government to bring together the New South Wales State Utility Corporations and ask other Australian State governments Utility Corporations to work together.

The unions say this is not different to the way the Public Sector infrastructure is rebuilt in Australia after bush fires, flood, and severe storms. Then the interstate Public Sector Companies work together to restore supply and see this as part of helping out those that can one day help them, a true community spirit where profit is not the motive.

The unions say this disaster requires the same approach. Our PSI union colleagues in Indonesia, Thailand, Sri Lanka and India are doing the same.

David Carey, National Secretary of the CPSU SPSF, said, "Public doctors, nurses, firefighters, defence personnel mobilized in the first week. We have already seen the fantastic work done by Australian Public servants in the immediate relief effort. Now we have to show the State Governments of Australia can do as good with their resources and skill in running power and water supplies.'

Mr Carey said "It would be a further tragedy for all those destroyed public water and power supplies in Indonesia were now left to be rebuilt and owned by private operators who only want to be there for the profit in the long run."

"Thousands of public employees have been killed and have been left homeless by the Tsunami. They were the backbone of the community's services. Thousands of their fellow Public Sector union colleagues have rushed to help. Our fear is that millions of dollars will be spent to rebuild private replacements. Our State governments should help and try and stop this."

On behalf of ASU Branches, Brian Harris said "As part of the Energy and Water industry our members have made personal commitments to aid agencies, and now it is the role of the USU to work with the Unions and the PSI affiliates to push our Governments to do more".

Sean Kelly, the ASU Secretary in Tasmania said "The Tasmanian Premier has already offered his Government's assistance from its state owned world renowned Hydro Corporation to assist in the reconstruction.

Public Services International ( PSI) is an international union of Public sector unions. Millions of its members work in public utilities around the world. In Australia the PSI Affiliates are:-
The Australian Services Union (ASU), CPSU - State Public Services Federation (CPSU SPSF), the Miscellaneous Workers Union (LHMWU) and the Community and Public Sector Union ( CPSU)

© 2001 Community & Public Sector Union - State Public Services Federation (CPSU-SPSF) - National Office

http://www.cpsu-spsf.asn.au/latest_news/general/20050123_Tsunani.html
Last Modified: 15 Nov 2005