BRISBANE — Centrelink, the federal government's social payment delivery agency, is demanding that its staff agree to work seven days a week at standard pay. Workers would be rostered as required by management, rather than voluntarily on overtime rates.

The plan involves new service delivery hours, for all areas of Centrelink's operations, of 7am to 8.30pm, Mondays to Fridays; 8.30am to 7.30pm on Saturdays; and 9am to 5pm on Sundays.

Overtime would only be payable after staff have worked 147 hours, plus one hour flextime, in a month. Extra costs related to travel, and childcare for late nights and weekends, would not be paid for by Centrelink. Shift workers would lose their shift allowances.

The proposal was suddenly tabled by Centrelink negotiators during enterprise agreement talks with the Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU) in mid-July.

Centrelink management has tried to justify the extended hours proposal with the argument that Centrelink must “compete with the private sector” for business.

This controversial plan by Centrelink, undoubtedly backed by the federal government, is the biggest challenge to the CPSU since the government's attacks of 1996-97.

Work meetings of CPSU members are taking place in offices and call centres around the country to demand that the plan be scrapped by August 19, or further action will be taken.

An additional resolution passed overwhelmingly at membership meetings at Centrelink's Brisbane call centre urged “the section executive to prepare a strong and united campaign to oppose this unprecedented attack on Centrelink employees. We suggest such a campaign could include further workplace meetings as well as mass meetings of members in all areas to assist the development of united action.”

[Jim McIlroy is a CPSU delegate at Centrelink's Brisbane call centre.]

From Green Left Weekly, August 14, 2002.
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