In 2016 the NSW Government tried to privatise five public hospitals, but unions in NSW launched a campaign to stop them!
Working with health unions we organised in areas which were under threat of having their hospital privatised. We rallied community support to stop the privatisation. We held doorknocking, markets and street stalls at all major shopping centres, attending sporting and major events, candlelight vigils outside the hospitals, radio ads, and community awareness rallies.
We also used our political influence to run Politics in the Pub events and brought local MPs along to community forums, allowing the public to directly engage with the decision makers. Local MPs were overwhelmed by the strong community attendance and the immense opposition to the proposed hospital privatisations.
As pressure grew, local Liberal MPs withdrew support for their Government’s privatisation plan. The Government was forced to reverse it’s privatisation plans in the face of the vocal community campaign and a loss of support from its own MPs. This was a huge victory for the community and the union movement. It shows that unions working collectively with the community can win better services and conditions for all Australians.
