Members representing the likes of the maintenance, catering, cleaning, security and pharmacy sectors of the hospital turned out to support the campaign, with HSU Tamworth sub-branch vice-president John Chester saying jobs and service levels were at stake.

“We’re worried about privatisation ... (because) when you talk about privatisation you’re talking about profits, and when you talk about profits you’re talking about service loss,” he said.

The HSU says parts of the public hospital system have already been handed over to private health providers and further outsourcing was on the cards, putting health jobs at risk.

Mr Chester, who has worked in the maintenance division of Tamworth hospital for 22 years, said any reduction in staff numbers in any sector of the public hospital network could only impact on the care patients received.

He said with Tamworth’s new hospital nearing completion, maintaining adequate service levels was all the more important.

“This is an election issue, it’s a big election issue affecting not just Tamworth, but the whole state, and we want the public – the stakeholders – to know we’re making a stand because we’re not sacrificing patient care.”

Mr Chester did not rule out further actions in the lead-up to the March 28 state election.

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