Victorian Public Service Union Withholds Labor Support Ahead of Election
The Community and Public Sector Union joins several other Victorian unions turning away from Labor ahead of the November poll over job reductions.
At a glance
- The Community and Public Sector Union announced it will not support Labor at the 28 November state election.
- Union secretary Jiselle Hanna condemned public service job cuts and a $1.2bn spend on consultants.
- Several other Victorian unions are also withholding support or running campaigns against the government.
Victoria faces a strained political landscape as the Community and Public Sector Union announced it will withhold support from the Labor government at the upcoming 28 November state election.
Union officials pointed to ongoing public service job reductions and high spending on external consultants as the primary reasons for stepping back from the party ahead of the poll.
Union concerns over job security and consultants
Union secretary Jiselle Hanna stated that the government could no longer rely on their backing without a firm commitment to halt public service job cuts. According to Hanna, recent restructures following an independent review led by Helen Silver have resulted in redundancies and precarious employment.
An analysis released by the union using Victorian government annual reports revealed that the administration spent $1.2bn on consultants across ten departments since the 2017-18 financial year. The Department of Treasury and Finance recorded the highest cumulative spend at about $222m.
Broader union discontent ahead of the poll
The decision by the public service union follows similar moves by several other labor-aligned or traditional partner organizations in the state. The Electrical Trades Union resolved not to run a statewide campaign for Labor, while the United Firefighters Union launched advertisements urging voters to place Labor last.
Meanwhile, the Australian Services Union and members of the Australian Education Union have also distanced themselves from active campaigning for the party as various sector disputes persist.
Assessing the political fallout for the government
The withdrawal of support from key unions highlights a growing fracture between the incumbent government and organized labor groups over administrative cost-cutting and workforce management. Unions argue that both major political parties fail to recognize the critical work performed by administrative public servants.
The unfolding campaign dynamics indicate that labor relations will remain a central point of contention as voters head to the polls.
What to watch: Watch for the formal announcement by the Community and Public Sector Union on Wednesday and the ongoing impact of union advertising campaigns leading up to the 28 November election.
Reporting from: The Guardian Australia, ABC News. Spotted an error? Tell us.
- Victorian Election
- Public Service
- Unions
- Labor Party
- Ben Carroll
- Australia
- Politics