-- Statement from ASU NSW & ACT Branch Secretary, Natalie Lang.
The Australian Services Union is proud to campaign for a fair go for all Australians. ASU members work in many industries that strive to ensure that no one in our community will be left behind.
Our members run vital community and disability services that engage, protect and support vulnerable members of our community.
They are the world-class workforce that runs publicly owned essential services like Sydney Water, Hunter Water and our rail network. And they work every day to keep assets in public hands for the benefit of every member of our community.
The ASU has long campaigned for assets and essential services to be controlled by the public to ensure that they are run in the best interest of the community. Publicly owned assets see profits and savings flow directly to the people of NSW.
We are proud to continue to campaign for utilities like Sydney Water, Hunter Water and our rail network to remain in public hands.
Unlike privately owned assets, where profits made line the pockets of private corporations, publicly controlled assets return profits to the public in the form of savings or dividends to the people of NSW.
These dividends are used to run our schools, hospitals and other vital services.
Just last week, publicly owned Sydney Water recommended slashing water bills for consumers by $100 per year from 2016.
Sydney Water can advocate for this price reduction, improving the living standards of the residents of NSW, because it has worked closely with its highly unionised workforce to create efficiencies within the organisation while at the same time protecting working conditions.
This is proof that publicly owned, unionised assets not only deliver great services to the public but also pass on any savings or profits directly to consumers.
The ASU has consistently supported the public control of assets and will continue to do so into the future. Public services must remain in public hands for the benefit of our community.