Upper House wants freeze negotiations

Treasurer Peter Gutwein last night said the government had no other option but to sack 500 public servants after failing to win support for its wage freeze legislation.

Mr Gutwein ruled out further negotiations with unions, saying the process would take far too long and the state's economic recovery could not be delayed.

But Rumney Independent Tony Mulder said the government was being churlish, insisting it was not too late to negotiate.

"The government must give unions the chance to come to them and accept a wage freeze through a negotiated outcome," Mr Mulder said.

"If the unions come up with the goods, great. If they don't, we can come back in a month and consider legislating a wage freeze ... the government will have lost nothing."

Launceston MLC Rosemary Armitage said the government's attitude was extremely disappointing.

"This shows a complete and utter lack of good will and good faith from the government," Ms Armitage said.

Murchison MLC Ruth Forrest said if the government declined to negotiate, any job losses would be on its head.

The Police Association of Tasmania slammed the government's decision, labelling the move "pathetic, weak and childish".

"Our members have never said we don't agree with a pay freeze or would be unwilling to accept one," president Pat Allen said.

"Our door is always open ... just come and talk to us, for crying out loud."

Mr Allen questioned whether the government had a hidden agenda in canning the bill.

"You've got to wonder whether they were ever serious about making these savings or if they were just hell-bent on destroying the industrial relations system," he said.

Unions Tasmania president Roz Madsen said sacking extra public sector workers would be "extremely hostile and grossly unnecessary".

"Unions are ready, as we have always been, to commence negotiations with the government," Ms Madsen said.

Community and Public Sector Union secretary Tom Lynch said Tasmanians would never forgive the government if it sacked workers "because it was too arrogant to negotiate".

Unions will today write to the Premier to urge immediate negotiations.

It is understood major industrial action will be considered should the government refuse.

THE Australian Medical Association's Tasmanian branch has warned doctors-in-training to check contracts offered by the state's hospitals for next year, after Tasmanian Health Organisation North factored a wage freeze into contracts.

In a Facebook post, the AMA said it had been advised that some doctors-in-training had been offered contracts for 2015 with no normal increment progression and no pay increase.

The post said that would mean interns of 2014 would continue to be paid as interns in 2015, and resident medical officers would also continue to be paid at the same level.

But a state government spokesman moved to ease concerns, saying contracts were sent out prematurely and would not apply.