CENTRELINK and Medicare offices in the region were affected by the largest industrial strike action by federal public servants in a generation.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Offices including Tamworth, pictured, and Armidale saw more than 30 Community and Public Sector Union members walk off the job between 1pm and 5pm yesterday.
Those on strike were protesting against what they see as the government’s failure to negotiate new workplace agreements.
The CPSU members in major cities and some regional areas attended mass meetings across Australia.
The half day strike action impacted agencies including Customs, Immigration, Centrelink, Medicare and the Australian Tax Office.
CPSU national secretary Nadine Flood said public servants had had enough.
“Public sector workers don’t take industrial action lightly, but right now they have no other choice,” she said.
“The Abbott government has slashed 17,300 public sector jobs since taking office and now it’s going after the conditions, rights and take-home wages of 160,000 Australians who work in the public sector.”
Ms Flood said part-timers and casuals in Centrelink and Medicare would get less money for doing the same work under the new conditions.
