Wandoo staff ramp up industrial action over pay negotiations

Staff at the Wandoo Reintegration Facility are taking further protected industrial action after failing to reach a pay deal with their employer Serco.

Staff will walk off the job for four hours from 8am on Monday, which will have some impact on the operations of the prison.

The WA Prison Officers’ Union has been negotiating a new pay deal for staff at Wandoo to bring their pay and conditions closer to their counterparts at Acacia, which is also run by Serco.

WAPOU Secretary John Welch said Serco had offered Wandoo staff pay rises of 2.8%, 2.9% and 3%, while staff had asked for 3.75% a year over 3 years.

“Staff at Acacia were granted a pay rise of 4.25% annually last year, and Wandoo staff don’t understand why their offer is so much lower,” he said.

“Wandoo staff are also asking for similar conditions around long service leave to those granted to Acacia staff, which seems only fair since they all work for the same company.

“Wandoo staff are very disappointed they’re being treated as second-class citizens by their employer.”

Mr Welch said staff had voted to take a range of protected industrial actions, and would continue to do so until Serco started bargaining in good faith.

“Staff feel they have been forced to take this action, however, they will still take measures to ensure it doesn’t affect any members of the public and that safety is maintained,” he said.

Mr Welch said his members were particularly offended that their employer was telling them it could not afford to give them a bigger pay rise, while at the same time paying for sirloin steaks, waterslides and high teas for prisoners over the Christmas holidays.

The industrial action will be from 8am-12pm on Monday.