Public health jobs on the line

The Health Services Union is warning that  at least 30,000 public health jobs will go on the line if Mike Baird’s Coalition Government is returned in Saturday’s state election.

According to the HSU, Health Minister Jillian Skinner let the cat out of the bag in front of HSU members and WIN television cameras at Shellharbour Hospital, on Monday.

Asked clearly, if it she would be “outsourcing health jobs”, Skinner confirmed the Baird Government agenda.

“Yeah,” she replied, before ticking off intended victims on her fingers, “we are outsourcing cleaning, warehousing …”, she began.

Skinner continued through a list of positions she intends to put on the block.*

This frank concession confirms what HSU members have long suspected, that their jobs, wages and conditions will be sacrificed to the Liberal and National Party’s love affair with private health.

The record is clear – workers, taxpayers and communities all suffer when public services are privatised.

Private enterprise enters the market for one reason – to create profit for its shareholders and that has to come from either consumers, through inferior service, or workers, by slashing wages, conditions and entitlements.

The ideal situation for private operators is to make money from both and that puts jobs and the quality of Australia’s healthcare system squarely on the line.

Not a single politician has campaigned to cut jobs and reduce wages but, clearly, that is what privatisation means.