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To: Broadspectrum and the WA State Government

Job Security for Court Security

Broadspectrum Court Security and Custodial Officers AND the broader community are calling on Broadspectrum and the WA State Government to:

1. Give Broadspectrum workers the right they deserve to a fair go; which means negotiating a fair agreement, where all workers are paid equally, and remunerated adequately for their services (metropolitan and regionally)

2. The current WA State Government needs to end the race to the bottom that was started by the previous State Government, by ensuring contracts are awarded to bids that provide the overall most economic benefits, rather than just an assessment of cheapest cost. Governments should be using their extensive purchasing power to secure jobs.

3. The WA State Government needs to implement changes to provide greater job security to Government contracted workers through ensuring portability of all entitlements, especially long service leave and redundancy when Government contracts are awarded to another contractor. And review of the legislation for transmission of business for State Government contracts to ensure that all these employees’ years’ of service are recognised.

Why is this important?

Since Broadspectrum was awarded the Court & Custodial contract by the Department of Justice in 2016, officers have seen their workplace suffer.

The Liberal State Government at the time awarded Broadspectrum the contract at $36 million less than the previous contractor.

This $36 million was stripped from the pockets of these workers’ by shafting these workers onto the JBU (Justice Business Unit) no-stake agreement.
The JBU was voted on by people who didn’t have a stake in the workplace and undermined years of fighting for good working conditions.

In doing this the work environment at Broadspectrum for court and custodial officers has deteriorated.

In September 2019 a well published escape of a notorious prisoner Laurie Dodds was attributed to the deteriorating standards of employment at Broadspectrum.
Training standards have deteriorated and remuneration for these officers does not compensate them for the job they do.

No longer can the contractor attract and retain talented operators for the role. Officers are abused and spat at by prisoners daily and are not afforded the proper protections to remain loyal to this job. Morale is low and employee turn-over is high, which only leads to loss of human capital & knowledge that is built over time.

Further an incident in February 2021 where a prisoner had their thumb severed in a prison van’s door is another example of policy and standards where Broadspectrum have cut corners and caused casualties.

Since the Federal court of Australia quashed the JBU agreement, Broadspectrum officers have been building industrial strength to fight for the working conditions they are entitled to.
These officers are now in the midst of bargaining their new Enterprise Agreement and fighting for better standards of employment to attract and retain talented officers to the job.

But Broadspectrum continues to cut corners by devaluing the roles these officers do for safe & secure communities.
Broadspectrum have made an offer of a 1% increase and a 1-year agreement for these workers.
This is not justified for these workers to continue to keep prisoners locked up and communities safe.
It is time for Broadspectrum to come to the table on a real offer.

And for the state Government to consider if they really want a Government department to be associated with a contractor who treats their workers unfairly and unjustly.

Read more about the history of this fight here: http://www.twuwa.org.au/articles/view/job-security-for-court-security.html

Links

Updates

2018-06-17 10:31:10 +1000

100 signatures reached

2018-06-15 20:57:58 +1000

50 signatures reached

2018-06-14 18:17:24 +1000

25 signatures reached

2018-06-12 19:23:06 +1000

10 signatures reached