UNIONS have vowed to keep fighting against public sector job cuts if the government rejects their pay freeze offer.
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The government will today be presented with an offer of an across-the-board, six-month wage pause, with the condition that no jobs are axed above the 700 promised in the budget.
Treasurer Peter Gutwein has called the offer a ‘‘straw man proposal’’, saying that unless an 18-month pay freeze is offered, then up to 500 more jobs, including front-line health and education staff, will be lost.
Mr Gutwein says the unions only have one shot at a pay freeze offer, but Community and Public Sector Union secretary Tom Lynch said the issue was far from settled.
‘‘The government is not the only power in this state – there’s still alternatives through the Industrial Commission,’’ he said.
Mr Lynch said he was hopeful Mr Gutwein would accept the offer, but said the unions could seek to use the commission to force the government to negotiate future savings.
Unions Tasmania secretary Steve Walsh said the government had been dismissive and high-handed.
‘‘This is a genuine offer and we have done a lot of work with our members on this,’’ he said.
‘‘We want the government to sit down, negotiate so we can find the savings for the next 18 months.’’