Unions will call on ACT Labor to push through a pay increase for its lowest-paid workers in response to the rapidly rising cost of living at the party's annual conference on Saturday.
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The CFMEU and United Workers Union will hold a rally before the conference calling for the lowest-paid general service officers, which include cleaners, to rise from $50,925 to $61,000, before a motion is debated as part of conference proceedings.
The CFMEU ACT branch secretary, Zach Smith, said if these workers stopped working Canberra would be a "catastrophic mess" within weeks.
"You cannot expect people to perform vital work and then ask them to support their families on $50,000 a year ... we know of [general service officers] forced to sleep in their cars and that, frankly, should not be acceptable to any Labor government.
"[General service officers] cleaning public toilets receive an 'insanitary conditions allowance' of just $2.71 a day. That's just an insult."
Chief Minister and Labor leader Andrew Barr is expected to tell the conference in a speech the ACT government will continue to strengthen the conditions in the territory's public service and actively lift up some of its lowest paid staff.
The government would also continue encouraging public servants they have a stronger voice when they join a union, Mr Barr is expected to say.
The speech, which comes halfway through Mr Barr's second full term as Chief Minister, does not set out new large commitments, but will say the territory government would ensure it delivered on its commitments ahead of the 2024 poll.
"Canberrans understand that Labor will always work to ensure a more equal society. Achieving real, long-lasting, effective change requires perseverance, patience, good governance and a deep understanding of the community we represent," Mr Barr will say.
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Mr Barr will tell the conference the "adults are back in charge" of the federal government following the Labor victory at the May 21 federal election and , echoing comments he made after the territory budget earlier this month.
"The election of the Albanese Labor government represents a great opportunity for us to jointly work on the delivery of the reforms, the services and the infrastructure that our growing community deserves," he will say.
"We can now show Canberra what a collaborative relationship between the territory and Commonwealth government can achieve."
Mr Barr told a lunch organised by the Canberra Business Chamber earlier this month he would contest the 2024 election and said he had never been more optimistic about the city's future.
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