CFMEU will fight SA trades privatisation

THE CFMEU SA will oppose the South Australian Government’s planned privatisation of trades and maintenance crews which "will make hundreds of people redundant and rob the SA people of an important public asset".

The SA Government informed workers this week that it plans to fully outsource the services of the Across Government Facilities Management Arrangement (AGFMA), cutting up to 160 jobs, including apprentices, across public hospitals, railways and trams, road transport and schools.

“Cutting jobs and making people redundant during an economic crisis is irresponsible and will only deepen the financial pain for South Australians,” said Andrew Sutherland, CFMEU national assistant construction secretary.

“The privatisation of AGFMA maintenance and service work would undercut the State Government’s own industry skills commitments and stated support for building industry jobs.

“The South Australian government’s privatisation push and the sacking of apprentices flies in the face of Scott Morrison’s commitments to training and upskilling Australians as part of the economic recovery from COVID-19.

“Steven Marshall assured South Australians before the last state election that he did not have a privatisation agenda. His actions this week show this commitment was entirely untrue and South Australians will have a right to ask what’s next on his government’s agenda.

“It is shameful to see the SA Government pursue a privatisation agenda that will cost jobs during the economic shock of the pandemic crisis. Privatisation of public services and assets has failed time and again, resulting in higher costs to the public, lower quality of service and poor outcomes for workers. Yet conservative governments remain committed to stripping public assets for private gain.

“Unions, including the CFMEU and CEPU, will vigorously oppose the privatisation push and are calling for all trades to be retained within the public sector.

“The ALP must also to commit to reverse any privatisations made under the current Liberal government in South Australia.”

Services that are likely to be affected by AGFMA privatisation are:

• Queen Elizabeth Hospital
• Flinders Medical Centre
• Lyell McEwin Hospital
• Women’s and children’s Hospital
• Modbury Hospital
• Royal Adelaide Hospital
• Noarlunga Hospital
• Pt Lincoln Hospital
• Whyalla Hospital
• Port Pirie Hospital
• Building Maintenance Facilities Services (BMFS) Netley
• Public Transport Services Netley (public transport ticketing systems)

Possible impact on country health services:

• Barmera Hospital
• Renmark Hospital
• Victor Harbor Hospital
• Clare Hospital
• Cowell Hospital

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