DSS staffing dispute

April 27, 1994
Issue 
140

DSS staffing dispute

Robert Johnson

BRISBANE — The ongoing dispute over jobs in Social Security looks set to escalate.

Management has unveiled plans to axe jobs in a number of offices in Queensland. Twenty-four jobs have been identified in one teleservice centre in Brisbane; another 25 have been targeted in Townsville. An unspecified number of jobs have been identified in Area South.

Redundancy packages have been offered in some places, but management is reserving the option of forced redundancies if there aren't enough "volunteers". Managers have also indicated that they will target "poor performers" for redundancies.

One teleservice centre here has reacted with a log of claims covering staffing, workload and a number of working conditions.

Public Sector Union members are angry that money for packages is available, but no money can be spared to pay existing staff. Management has targeted areas with high workload for redundancies, using the "recovery" in the economy as a justification to sack people.

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