SYDNEY — Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR) employees in Sydney struck for an hour at lunchtime on June 16 to protest over stalled bargaining negotiations. Workers in the NSW state office rallied at Belmore Park, supported by Community and Public Sector Union members from other federal government departments.

The CPSU’s health and community support division secretary, Lisa Newman, said the Sydney workers are the “first cab off the rank”. Industrial action is also being planned by CPSU members in DEWR in Canberra and Melbourne offices.

The department’s latest pay offer is for a 3.9% rise per year, but contains provisions to remove extra redundancy pay for workers over 45, access to the industrial relations commission to arbitrate disputes over the agreement, and overtime for IT workers.

While DEWR Corporate general manager Jeremy O’Sullivan claims management’s offer is a “fair and attractive” package, it contains highly contentious annual performance bonuses of up to 6%, depending on ratings given by supervisors.

While a new collective agreement would cover about half of DEWR’s 3000 employees, the remainder would continue to have their conditions of employment determined by individual contracts or Australian Workplace Agreements. In a provocative move to undermine the collective strength of DEWR staff, management now requires all new staff commencing employment with the department to sign AWAs.

Nick Everett

From Green Left Weekly, June 22, 2005.
Visit the Green Left Weekly home page.

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