Centrelink workers face battle over agreement

Issue 

Jim McIlroy, Brisbane

Workers in the federal government's main social welfare agency, Centrelink, face a major struggle in their campaign for a new enterprise agreement this year. During negotiations between Centrelink and the Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU), management have raised a number of proposals that would represent a serious loss of conditions for the agency's staff.

According to a bulletin issued by the CPSU in May, some of the "most radical" claims put forward in the management draft position include:

  • "Limiting advancement for C1 & C2 [frontline staff level] employees by introducing a work availability barrier;

  • "No negotiations on regular hours and no default regular hours;

  • "Any flex credits over 15% would be lost rather than taken in the next settlement period;

  • "No matter what the personal circumstances, Centrelink would require an expensive visit to the doctor for every personal leave absence after five absences in a year — including for caring purposes;

  • "Redundancy entitlements would be cut for loyal long-time public sector employees with the retention period slashed in half and no commensurate increase in severance pay;

  • "Entitlements are moved out of the agreement into unenforceable policy. These include performance assessment, remote localities for new employees, study leave and home garaging, etc;

  • "Certain allowances such as community language allowance would not be paid during leave; and

  • "Part-time work is limited to a maximum of six months, making childcare arrangements more difficult."

The bulletin went on to explain that the management's "claim also seeks the unnecessary removal of any reference to the union throughout the agreement, including for consultation. This is despite agreements being certified daily around the country with references to union delegates, and consultative arrangements with unions."

In a later bulletin, dated May 30, the CPSU highlighted Centrelink's push to transfer many currently legally enforceable conditions from a certified agreement into policy, which can change without the agreement of staff or the union. It also stressed that Centrelink is refusing to agree to any guarantees of proper consultation or representation for staff through their union.

The CPSU is warning members of the possibility that Centrelink management, when the union refuses to agree to these terms, will break off negotiations and put the management position to an all-staff vote as a non-union agreement. This would require the union to mount a strong campaign for a "No" vote, as a "critical first step to ensuring a fair agreement".

From Green Left Weekly, June 29, 2005.
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