1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:05,000 Speaker 1: We know that hundreds of teachers, correctional officers, well, aboriginal 2 00:00:05,040 --> 00:00:08,920 Speaker 1: health practitioners. There is all sorts of people, nurses. Everybody's 3 00:00:08,960 --> 00:00:11,719 Speaker 1: out there today is part of this wage freezer rally 4 00:00:11,720 --> 00:00:14,600 Speaker 1: that's taking place. A day of action is what it's 5 00:00:14,600 --> 00:00:17,119 Speaker 1: been called. Now joining me on the line right now 6 00:00:17,600 --> 00:00:22,960 Speaker 1: is the Anti Prison Officers Association President Phil Tillbrook. Good 7 00:00:22,960 --> 00:00:23,759 Speaker 1: morning to you, Phil. 8 00:00:25,040 --> 00:00:25,840 Speaker 2: Good morning Katie. 9 00:00:26,120 --> 00:00:29,640 Speaker 1: Phil. I understand you're there now at that day of action. 10 00:00:29,960 --> 00:00:31,080 Speaker 1: How's it looking. 11 00:00:32,200 --> 00:00:36,839 Speaker 2: Look, it's looking good. There's a fantastic show out up 12 00:00:36,880 --> 00:00:41,080 Speaker 2: today at Parliament House and it's the loud message that 13 00:00:41,120 --> 00:00:43,840 Speaker 2: we're sending to the government that you know, the prey 14 00:00:44,080 --> 00:00:45,360 Speaker 2: pay freeze isn't good enough. 15 00:00:45,880 --> 00:00:48,280 Speaker 1: Phil, Any idea how many people you reckon might be 16 00:00:48,320 --> 00:00:51,800 Speaker 1: down there at the moment, I'd say there's. 17 00:00:51,600 --> 00:00:55,400 Speaker 2: A good four hundred plus. The park is actually pulled, 18 00:00:55,400 --> 00:00:58,760 Speaker 2: there's only standing room only, so it's a fantastic turnout. 19 00:00:59,400 --> 00:01:04,440 Speaker 1: And any politicians turned up, Yeah. 20 00:01:03,920 --> 00:01:10,920 Speaker 2: We've just had the entire COLP come out, led by 21 00:01:11,360 --> 00:01:16,920 Speaker 2: Leah and they were in the crowd there. I don't 22 00:01:16,959 --> 00:01:20,360 Speaker 2: know whether they had the opportunity to speak, but I 23 00:01:20,440 --> 00:01:23,000 Speaker 2: did see all of all of the CLP members. 24 00:01:23,520 --> 00:01:26,560 Speaker 1: Right, Well, that's a bit a bit different to what 25 00:01:26,640 --> 00:01:28,959 Speaker 1: I guess you might think that you'd see. You'd probably 26 00:01:29,000 --> 00:01:30,840 Speaker 1: expect to see the Labor Party there, I would have. 27 00:01:30,840 --> 00:01:34,640 Speaker 2: Thought, exactly. It's a bit of a topsy turvy sort 28 00:01:34,680 --> 00:01:40,360 Speaker 2: of times and territory politics. When we're getting a liberal 29 00:01:41,040 --> 00:01:45,760 Speaker 2: MLA to a union rally, it's extremely strange times. 30 00:01:46,160 --> 00:01:49,680 Speaker 1: I was thinking the same myself, Phil, Now, Phil, talk 31 00:01:49,760 --> 00:01:53,080 Speaker 1: us through. Because our correctional officers are indeed striking, I 32 00:01:53,120 --> 00:01:57,440 Speaker 1: believe for twelve hours today. Why have you, along with 33 00:01:57,480 --> 00:01:59,960 Speaker 1: our correctional officers, decided to take this part? 34 00:02:00,080 --> 00:02:05,760 Speaker 2: Yeah, I look, we're fed up with the government's half 35 00:02:05,800 --> 00:02:10,200 Speaker 2: baked offers for our our pays in our conditions within 36 00:02:11,720 --> 00:02:17,800 Speaker 2: Anti Corrections. This is now the third time that Anti 37 00:02:18,520 --> 00:02:23,560 Speaker 2: Correctional services have of United Workers' Unions and Corrections have 38 00:02:23,639 --> 00:02:28,440 Speaker 2: withdrawn their labor and it soldly. We had an offer 39 00:02:28,800 --> 00:02:32,359 Speaker 2: given to us on in the eleventh hour to try 40 00:02:32,400 --> 00:02:39,400 Speaker 2: and stop this action today, okay, and members voted against 41 00:02:39,400 --> 00:02:41,360 Speaker 2: that in large numbers. 42 00:02:41,680 --> 00:02:44,960 Speaker 1: So what was the offer and why was it voted down? 43 00:02:46,040 --> 00:02:51,119 Speaker 2: H The offer was just a manipulation of the pay structure, 44 00:02:51,720 --> 00:02:55,000 Speaker 2: so it wasn't an offer across the board as such, 45 00:02:56,360 --> 00:03:00,720 Speaker 2: some other some areas had were advantage more than others, 46 00:03:00,919 --> 00:03:04,280 Speaker 2: and it was just a bit of a dog's breakfast, 47 00:03:04,360 --> 00:03:07,680 Speaker 2: to say the least. There was a half baked effort 48 00:03:08,520 --> 00:03:12,400 Speaker 2: from a government who said they're working hard to address 49 00:03:12,440 --> 00:03:15,400 Speaker 2: the issue, and you know, it looks like they're not 50 00:03:15,440 --> 00:03:18,679 Speaker 2: doing their homework. They're not listening to the people, they're 51 00:03:18,680 --> 00:03:22,040 Speaker 2: not listening to us at all, and we're here today 52 00:03:22,040 --> 00:03:25,320 Speaker 2: to send them a strong message. So we just won't 53 00:03:25,360 --> 00:03:26,200 Speaker 2: be putting up with it. 54 00:03:26,840 --> 00:03:30,520 Speaker 1: Well, from our corrections perspective, what are the main concerns here? 55 00:03:30,560 --> 00:03:33,160 Speaker 1: Obviously the pay freeze is a major concern, but does 56 00:03:33,200 --> 00:03:35,280 Speaker 1: it come down to safety? What else does it come 57 00:03:35,320 --> 00:03:35,640 Speaker 1: down to? 58 00:03:36,480 --> 00:03:40,000 Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, Katie, Look, there's a lot of issues out 59 00:03:40,160 --> 00:03:44,560 Speaker 2: in correctional centers. We're in crisis mode. We have prisoners 60 00:03:44,600 --> 00:03:51,480 Speaker 2: sleeping on floors, we have very extreme short staffing, we 61 00:03:51,560 --> 00:03:58,400 Speaker 2: have high numbers of over time, unlimited over time, and 62 00:03:58,960 --> 00:04:02,720 Speaker 2: when our centers are are running short on offices, we're 63 00:04:02,760 --> 00:04:06,200 Speaker 2: still expected to do the same amount, provide the same services. 64 00:04:06,960 --> 00:04:09,080 Speaker 2: And we've been doing this for way too long for 65 00:04:09,160 --> 00:04:14,680 Speaker 2: the government. Trying to overcome these challenges, but many, many 66 00:04:14,800 --> 00:04:17,640 Speaker 2: years they still haven't been able to fix the issues. 67 00:04:17,720 --> 00:04:20,360 Speaker 2: So we've sort of drawn a line on the zand 68 00:04:20,400 --> 00:04:23,200 Speaker 2: and said, you know, that's enough. You need to address 69 00:04:23,240 --> 00:04:26,960 Speaker 2: these issues now for our safety and for the community safety. 70 00:04:27,160 --> 00:04:30,640 Speaker 1: Are there ever times where correctional officers feel as though 71 00:04:30,640 --> 00:04:33,680 Speaker 1: they're in dangerous situations at our jails. 72 00:04:34,440 --> 00:04:40,640 Speaker 2: Daily daily, especially Alice Springs as long as I've been 73 00:04:40,680 --> 00:04:43,560 Speaker 2: in corrections, I've been here forading years and Alice Springs 74 00:04:45,120 --> 00:04:48,799 Speaker 2: very rarely has a full complement of staff on a 75 00:04:48,880 --> 00:04:55,320 Speaker 2: daily basis. Many times they're extremely short on nights and 76 00:04:55,520 --> 00:04:57,760 Speaker 2: the government and the department just don't seem to care. 77 00:05:00,200 --> 00:05:02,400 Speaker 1: Well, I tell you what, you know, I think that 78 00:05:03,040 --> 00:05:05,919 Speaker 1: if we don't see something change here, by the sounds 79 00:05:05,960 --> 00:05:08,000 Speaker 1: of it, it's going to be something that they'll have 80 00:05:08,040 --> 00:05:11,039 Speaker 1: to care about because it does seem And please correct 81 00:05:11,040 --> 00:05:13,520 Speaker 1: me if I'm wrong, that there will be further industrial 82 00:05:13,560 --> 00:05:18,000 Speaker 1: action and further strikes if there isn't a negotiation and 83 00:05:18,360 --> 00:05:19,880 Speaker 1: everybody doesn't get to the table. 84 00:05:21,080 --> 00:05:24,240 Speaker 2: Yeah, well I agree with that, Katie. You speaking with 85 00:05:24,279 --> 00:05:27,840 Speaker 2: our members yesterday around this offer that was given to 86 00:05:27,960 --> 00:05:33,560 Speaker 2: us for the government, the overruling advice from them was 87 00:05:33,720 --> 00:05:38,320 Speaker 2: you know, let's escalate our actions. Our members are asking 88 00:05:38,360 --> 00:05:41,120 Speaker 2: us why aren't we walking out on a weekly basis. 89 00:05:42,960 --> 00:05:45,640 Speaker 2: That's something that we will address after today, and if 90 00:05:45,680 --> 00:05:50,800 Speaker 2: the government hasn't changed its mind and moved, then we 91 00:05:50,880 --> 00:05:53,960 Speaker 2: will go back to our membership and seek advice on 92 00:05:54,720 --> 00:05:57,360 Speaker 2: how they want to escalate the industrial action. 93 00:05:57,920 --> 00:06:00,000 Speaker 1: Phil, I'll ask you the same question that I asked 94 00:06:00,040 --> 00:06:03,760 Speaker 1: see Education Union a bit earlier this morning. Our correctional 95 00:06:03,800 --> 00:06:08,840 Speaker 1: staff and our correctional officers just being greedy here, Katie. 96 00:06:09,400 --> 00:06:14,760 Speaker 2: Our correctional offices work extremely hard in a very dangerous environment, 97 00:06:16,680 --> 00:06:20,839 Speaker 2: and what we're after is the government to respect the 98 00:06:20,920 --> 00:06:25,719 Speaker 2: risk that we take every day. We feel that we're 99 00:06:25,720 --> 00:06:30,719 Speaker 2: not valued by them and their lack of action. The 100 00:06:30,800 --> 00:06:33,400 Speaker 2: pay rise is one of the issues that pay frees 101 00:06:33,920 --> 00:06:36,200 Speaker 2: needs to go, but there are a lot of other 102 00:06:36,480 --> 00:06:39,360 Speaker 2: issues within corrections that need to be addressed as well. 103 00:06:40,000 --> 00:06:43,440 Speaker 1: Phil. Are you expecting any of the labor politicians to 104 00:06:43,520 --> 00:06:45,159 Speaker 1: come out and address the crowd today? 105 00:06:47,040 --> 00:06:50,080 Speaker 2: Look, Katie, I would like to see some of them 106 00:06:50,120 --> 00:06:52,560 Speaker 2: come out, and I know we've got our friends in there. 107 00:06:52,839 --> 00:06:56,320 Speaker 2: Joel Bowden's being very active around us in our previous 108 00:06:57,200 --> 00:07:01,440 Speaker 2: actions and is a friend of us else but at 109 00:07:01,440 --> 00:07:04,880 Speaker 2: this stage we're not seeing anyone come out, and you 110 00:07:04,920 --> 00:07:06,920 Speaker 2: know that's quite disappointing from the labor government. 111 00:07:07,880 --> 00:07:11,080 Speaker 1: Well, Phil Tilbrook, who is indeed the NT Prison Officers 112 00:07:11,120 --> 00:07:14,400 Speaker 1: Association President, I appreciate your time this morning. I can 113 00:07:14,440 --> 00:07:16,920 Speaker 1: hear at different times those big loud jeers. It does 114 00:07:16,960 --> 00:07:18,679 Speaker 1: sound like there's plenty of people out there. 115 00:07:19,560 --> 00:07:21,880 Speaker 2: Yeah, thanks Katie. I had to walk some distance away 116 00:07:21,920 --> 00:07:24,200 Speaker 2: to try and keep noise down a bit. 117 00:07:24,960 --> 00:07:28,760 Speaker 1: We appreciate it. We appreciate it. Thanks Pal, good on you. 118 00:07:29,000 --> 00:07:29,680 Speaker 1: Thank you.