Shortly after forming government in 2008, the Barnett Government established the Economic Audit Committee to conduct a wide-ranging review of the operations and financial performance of the public sector.

The committee delivered its final report to government in December 2009, which included 43 recommendations for radical changes regarding the delivery of public services including privatisation, funding cuts and industrial relations changes.

The State Government's income from mining royalties has exceeded their most optimistic predictions, more than doubling to $4.2 billion last financial year.

It is reasonable for Western Australians to hope that the Government has a plan for WA families to benefit from the boom and to invest its proceeds for future generations.

Despite recording a $1.6 billion budget surplus in 2010/11, the Barnett Government is proceeding with its plans to sell off a number of essential public services.

Read more: Save Our Services

The MUA are planning a rally to highlight the exploitation of cheap foreign labour by the resource companies, as well as their failure to invest in training and local content.

The rally will coincide with the MUA’s AGM at midday on November 29 and converge on Chevron’s head office at QV1 (cnr St Georges Tce and Mill St).

It is envisaged that this will be the beginning of a visible protest against the resource companies, including a weekly presence of protest outside Chevron’s office.

This is an opportunity to put pressure on the resource companies who are making obscene profits while investing little in WA’s long-term future.

In response to a range of attacks on our public services by the Barnett Government, WA unions have been working together to develop a new campaign called Save Our Services.

As a wealthy state, WA can afford high quality public services. The State Government must stop undermining our public services and start investing in services for the benefit of all West Australians.

A key part of this campaign is a community survey.

To raise awareness of the Barnett Government’s actions and to canvass opinion, we’re running a WA-wide community survey on public services.

Read more: Survey on public services in WA

United Voice and the HSU are continuing their campaign against the Barnett Government’s plans to privatise our hospitals. The Barnett Government has chosen Serco as the preferred tender to privately manage over 30 essential services at the new Fiona Stanley Hospital, including cleaning, record keeping, and sterilization of instruments.

And a month ago we announced the discovery of a report by an independent UK inspectorate into a hospital in Scotland run by Serco. During that inspection 6 of the 8 wards failed basic hygiene standards.

The Barnett Government have repeatedly refused to present the business case for the privatisation of Fiona Stanley Hospital, despite repeated requests in Parliament by Shadow Health Spokesperson Roger Cook and Freedom Of Information requests from United Voice.

Read more: United Voice Battle Barnett Over Serco

May Day is the day on which unions take the union movement to the community.  We gather in the park opposite the Esplanade in Fremantle.

Union members and their supporters march through the main streets of Fremantle at about 12pm. This year we will be focusing on the schools and TAFE Logs of Claim.

It is an opportunity to demonstrate our pride in what we do and promote our work and campaigns.

Join in with your co-workers, family, friends and the public in a celebration of workers rights especially the eight hour working day.  In WA, May Day has been celebrated since 1952 within the city of Fremantle; it has become one of the most colourful demonstrations of working class solidarity.

Read more: May Day 2011 – Sunday 1 May

Our Union is working closely with other Public Sector Unions to ensure the Barnett Government maintains and resources our Western Australian Government services, including schools.

Western Australia is a wealthy State and the State Government can afford to provide us with quality public services. Instead of privatising services and taking resources out of the public sector, they should be investing in public services and the public sector workers who provide them.

If they don’t, then the only way to Save Our Services will be to vote them out at the next State Election.

Right now the Barnett Government is considering recommendations to WA Industrial Legislation which could see ‘Work Choice’ type legislation introduced here.

Read more: Public Sector Unions – Save Our Services Campaign

Join us at the community rally which is being held next Tuesday at 11:00 am at the Esplanade before marching on Parliament House.  The rally is a culmination of months of hard work by UnionsWA, APESMA and the AMWU.  It would be wonderful if you would be able to show your support for the cause by attending with as many members as possible.  Feel free to bring flags, whistles,  drums and anything else to advertise your union’s presence.

The current resources boom provides a once-in-a-generation opportunity to develop a skilled workforce that will create new industries and jobs for the future.

However, this is not happening, with Colin Barnett allowing our big resources companies to send their engineering and fabrication work offshore.

While there are jobs up north while the big projects are being built, the skilled work we need to create apprenticeships and skills that last beyond the boom is being done overseas.

We want the State Government to pass laws to ensure we get WA Jobs From WA Resources.  What can be made here, should be made here.

Read more: Rally: WA Jobs From WA Resources

The LHMU will from next month adopt the name "United Voice", after the USU reversed its initial opposition to the change.

Fair Work Australia Vice President Graeme Watson in consenting to the alteration yesterday said the USU was the only party to file an objection and it had been withdrawn.

The letter, penned by LHMU national secretary Louise Tarrant, also says that: "Both unions agree that a situation of industrial harmony between our two unions in NSW has lasted for a very long time in child care and local government. The LHMU confirms that it has absolutely no intention of disturbing this harmony".

Vice President Watson in his decision said the LHMU complied with the procedural requirements imposed by the Fair Work (Registered Organisations) Act and Rules and its own rules.

Read more: No more Missos - LHMU name change

The LHMU is seeking support for aged care workers in Bicton who have been locked out of work for seven days for having the audacity to ask for a wage increase. These workers earn $18 an hour and have not had a pay rise for two years.

LHMU aged care members at Carinya Bicton and Carinya Bristol have been locked out by their employer for 7 days from 7am Monday 31 January. Members have held three four hour stoppages in the last fortnight.

LHMU members have been attempting to negotiate an enterprise agreement with management for over 7 months. Members have not had a pay rise for over two years.

Managements lockout is unprecedented in Aged Care in WA and is indicative of the hard line attitude management have taken in this dispute. We all know how hard aged care members work but the private operators of Carinya don’t seem to care.

Read more: Aged Care Workers Locked Out

The Barnett government’s contract negotiations with Serco to run 31 different services at the flagship Fiona Stanley hospital are in doubt.

The LHMU has received legal advice that the Government’s decision to privatise services at the hospital is illegal because it is a breach of the hospital support workers’ agreement, which features a no privatisation clause.

As a consequence the union has started proceedings in the Industrial Magistrate’s Court to prosecute the State Government for a breach of the agreement and is seeking an order from the Court preventing the State Government from signing a contract with Serco pending the outcome of the case.

Read more: Barnett disregards LHMU agreements