The Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU) marked Happy World Public Service Day earlier this week (23 June) by thanking Australia’s Public Servants for the work they do to support the Australian community.
National Secretary of the CPSU, Melissa Donnelly said that during the pandemic, public sector workers had been the key to the response.
“They worked on the frontline, making sure Australians had access to JobSeeker and JobKeeper when they needed it, protecting borders, providing up-to-the minute health advice and many other things,” Ms Donnelly said.
However, she slammed the Government for answering this effort by introducing a new workplace bargaining policy designed to hold down wages for Federal public sector workers.
“The policy sees workers voting on mystery pay deals, with unknown pay outcomes,” Ms Donnelly said.
“It makes it difficult to achieve improvements in an enterprise agreement with the continuation of the ‘no enhancements’ rule,” she said.
“It doesn’t allow for genuine bargaining between Agencies, employees and unions. Instead, the Government determines the outcome.”
Ms Donnelly urged members to visit the CPSU’s Commonwealth Bargaining webpage for more information about the policy and said she planned a ‘members-only’ briefing on the issue.
“CPSU members stand for secure jobs and improved conditions through a better bargaining policy,” she said.
“Together we can shift the Government’s position so that we have genuine bargaining in the Federal public sector.”
