CORRECTIONAL SERVICES OFFICERS APPLY "LOCKDOWN" TO MINISTER'S OFFICE

25 February 2011

union protests against the State Government will continue today, with correctional services officers rallying at the office of Correctional Services Minister, Tom Koutsantonis on Henley Beach Road at Torrensville.

SA Unions Secretary, Janet Giles says they are another group of South Australian working people who have been hit hard by the government's cuts to long service leave and leave loading.

"While these officers were at work guarding some of our most violent criminals, the State Government snuck legislation through Parliament in the Budget to cut their negotiated working conditions".

"And it's not just correctional services officers who have been hit by these cuts, but nurses, fire fighters, police officers, teachers, ambulance officers and tens of thousands of others who do important work every day for the South Australian community."

Ms Giles said unions have vowed to keep protesting until the State Government started listening to the community and restored these negotiated working conditions to South Australian working people.

"Premier Rann's budget of a thousand cuts is hitting every South Australian."

"On top of a range of cuts and price hikes, the jobs of more than 3,700 South Australian will disappear from the public sector."

Ms Giles says the loss of so many jobs will hurt families and damage the South Australian economy.