Strikers want pay rise

By Bridget Brady
POLICE were called to the Casey Council chambers last week as staff took strike action in their quest for a better pay deal.
Staff gathered outside the council offices at Narre Warren last Thursday, stopping work for eight hours.
Drama unfolded in the morning when council called the police to ensure barriers were removed so access to the council building was not hampered.
Australian Services Union organiser Lita Gillies said it was “ridiculous” that the police were called. Ms Gillies said the council’s manager of human resources, Richard Frazer, spoke to her at the strike and tried to “bait” her and was being “antagonistic”.
But City of Casey chief executive Mike Tyler said this was a case of the pot calling the kettle black.
“Mr Frazer simply asked Lita how many staff were present which, because of her apparent sensitivity to the small number, she took as ‘baiting’,” Mr Tyler said.
He said about four and a half per cent of staff took part in the strike, and the union tried to call in organisers from other unions to bolster numbers and create a more “militant” atmosphere.
The protest was peaceful, however, and followed on from a four-hour strike on 9 June.
Council staff, including depot, community care, parks and gardens and administration workers took part in the strike last week. They are campaigning for a pay rise that they say will bring them in line with neighbouring municipalities.
The council has agreed and implemented the first stage of a 13.3 per cent pay rise over three years, but staff asked for 14.3 per cent.
“The pay increase claim takes into consideration that Casey City Council employees are already paid poorly compared to other like councils across Victoria, and that the ratepayers base in the City of Casey is rising rapidly each year,” Ms Gillies said.
Some of the staff took strike action on their day off, or had arranged for work to be done before they attended the stop work meeting, Ms Gillies said.
“That just shows you how dedicated these people are.”