Support staff in schools and hospitals across Western Australia will strike in protest at the state government's Workplace Reform Bill.
The United Voice union predicts thousands of members will walk out next Thursday, and march on parliament on its last sitting day of the year.
Workers walking out include education assistants, cleaners and gardeners at schools and patient care assistants, orderlies, cleaners, catering services and store staff in hospitals.
Union secretary Carolyn Smith says Premier Colin Barnett's government reneged on a promise to make no compulsory redundancies as the state tries to shed 1200 public sector posts in a cost-cutting drive.
"The Barnett Government signed a legal agreement that there would be no forced redundancies after a long hard-fought campaign waged by support workers at schools and hospitals earlier this year," she said.
"Colin has now broken his promise with essential support staff at schools and hospitals. They are angry and they ought to be."
A spokeswoman for the premier said the bill would have a "minimal" impact on the Enterprise Bargaining Agreements (EBA) made with the union.
"Commitments were made to United Voice last year, which the Government stands by - that permanent employment is the Government's preferred method of engagement of public sector employees, and that this would not change," she said.
"Employees whose positions become redundant will still have access to redeployment. It is only where someone is unable to be found suitable alternate employment that involuntary severance would be contemplated."
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