The Australian Council of Trade Unions says the federal government has cut 8000 public sector jobs since coming to power and plans to slash another 8000 more.
Now the government is making a pay offer to public servants that the Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU) says is, in effect, a pay cut.
The government’s offer of a 3.25% pay rise over three years to employees in the Department of Human Services (DHS) is below the inflation rate — 1.7% according to Trading Economics.
In exchange for this, federal public servants are being asked to sacrifice conditions, work longer hours, lose rights to part-time work, and have their conditions moved into policy that is not legally enforceable. Weekend loadings would be cut for casual staff.
CPSU began low-level industrial action in the department on February 19. Members took a coordinated lunch break and set automated union email messages.
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