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Wayne Berry MLAACT Legislative Assembly Member for Ginninderra |
Home / Workers / Totalcare
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A message on behalf of Totalcare workers.
When the then Carnell Liberal government started transferring service from Urban Services to Totalcare in 1997, concern was raised that this was a blatant attempt to privatise and contract out government services. Contracts between Totalcare and the government were tied until 1998 but after that Totalcare would be required to compete for the work they had routinely done in the past.As Totalcare lost tenders to unrealistic bids, over half the workforce was made redundant, 500 jobs were lost as the staff numbers fell from 800 to 300. The bids proved unrealistic because the work had been tendered based on incomplete information; in some cases Totalcare staff were required to correct and finish the work of tenderers. This meant that the supposed savings were never realised and Totalcare’s losses mounted. Under the circumstances it is not surprising that morale at Totalcare plummeted.
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Wayne took up the campaign to save Totalcare jobs when he found out the workers were going to be left high and dry by the then Liberal government. He used every opportunity in the Assembly and in the media to highlight the folly of slashing jobs and services.
In the lead up to the 2001 Assembly election Wayne secured a policy agreement to reverse the policies of the Carnell and Humphries governments with Totalcare workers in mind. After the election was won, Wayne continued to support the workers, ensuring that the election promise was honoured.
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The Labor government has now agreed that workers from Roads, Facilities Management and Fleet will be transferred back into the ACT Government Service and that workers from Linen, Sterilisation and Waste management will be transferred to a new government enterprise.
“This was a tough battle but the good result was well worth it. The decision meant a lot to me and I am happy to have been part of the fight to help these workers. Job security is the biggest threat to most ordinary people and to play a part in helping these workers is one of the most rewarding things I have done in politics.” Wayne said.