Voters Reject Perrottet's Public Sector Worker Campaign

The latest Resolve poll today confirms that voters are no longer falling for the NSW Liberals' war on public sector workers, which has stripped the state of vital public service capacity and put unnecessary downward pressure on wages across the economy. The Resolve Political Monitor shows 56 per cent of voters agree that public sector workers should be given a pay increase above the government's 3 per cent annual wages cap, with almost a quarter of respondents agreeing strongly. Fewer than one in five (18 per cent) disagreed with a pay rise above the cap while 26 per cent were undecided or neutral. PSA General Secretary Stewart Little said it was clear that after 12 years the people of New South Wales were no longer falling for the Liberals' propaganda against public sector workers. "For over a decade the Liberals have told us it's necessary to slash public services and punish those who provide them. What this poll shows is that message isn't cutting through any more," said Mr Little. "People are appalled at how badly their vital public services have been brutalised. They know it's unsustainable to treat public sector workers like dirt. They want to see change. "I think people also understand that forcing public sector workers to take a pay cut in real terms is bad for everyone working in the private sector as well. The NSW Government is the biggest employer in the country. The pace it sets on wages flows through the economy. "If we want to bust free of our wage stagnation crisis the NSW Government needs to lead the way. And if we want public sector workers to keep working for us, we need to make sure they aren't going backwards in real terms. "It's excellent that Chris Minns has committed to lifting the unnecessary public sector wage cap if elected as Premier. I urge the Liberals to sniff the breeze and follow suit."