CPSU campaigns against certified agreement in Health and Family Services

Wednesday, February 11, 1998 - 11:00

By Phil Shannon

CANBERRA — Meetings of Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU) members in the Commonwealth Department of Health and Family Services (HFS) voted overwhelmingly two weeks ago to oppose the certified agreement being proposed by management. The CPSU is now campaigning for a "no" vote by HFS staff during the voting period in February.

HFS management had abruptly terminated negotiations with the union on Christmas eve. A number of existing conditions which the draft certified agreement had planned to remove had been saved by the CPSU during negotiations.

However, management refused to move on most of its key proposals, including: cuts to higher duties allowance (staff acting in higher positions would not receive the higher salary for at least four weeks) and overtime (replacing "money" payments with "time in lieu"); introducing "performance pay" for all staff; extending the span of hours to be worked in any day, wiping out any award conditions not covered by the agreement; reducing rights of union consultation whilst increasing the powers of local management; and introducing individual contracts.

For many, especially lower paid, staff, the cuts in allowances will negate the wage rise being offered. All staff face the prospect of longer hours and fewer rights in a climate of staff shortages and overwork resulting from successive budget cuts by the current and previous federal governments.

Management has attempted to justify its proposals as a move towards "changing the culture" of the Australian Public Service. The HFS secretary speaks about reducing "the complexity and rigidity of the many rules we work under". Workplace relations minister Peter Reith harps on about the "privileges" of being an APS employee in a culture allegedly riddled with "generous" conditions of employment.

This is rich, coming from a politician. But it does reveal the government's main agenda, which is to wind back the employment conditions and income of all public sector workers. HFS management's "cultural revolution" is simply a means to increase the exploitation of workers by giving another twist to the "productivity" screws.

In January, staff in the Australian Customs Service voted to reject their certified agreement by a massive 75% to 25%, forcing management back to the negotiating table. CPSU delegates and activists in HFS are organising leafleting, postering and meetings in a bid to do the same.