PM&C trying to remove rights, refusing to guarantee paid family violence leave in new workplace agreement: union

The Community and Public Sector Union says the Coalition government's public service workplace bargaining policy is to blame for the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet resisting guaranteed paid leave for staff affected by family violence, and for the agency's attempts to remove paid leave for staff doing charity work.

However the department says it is not refusing paid leave for staff affected by family violence, and that it is proposing to formalise its existing commitment to provide maximum possible support to employees affected by family violence.

The union also says employers at both the Prime Minister's Department and the National Indigenous Australians Agency are proposing to remove rights guaranteeing employees a say in major workplace changes.

CPSU national secretary Melissa Donnelly said the bargaining rules, which stop agencies enhancing workplace conditions for staff, were already letting down public servants as the Prime Minister's Department "dragged the chain" in negotiations over paid leave for people experiencing family violence.

"These kind of arrangements are widespread and commonly accepted as part of an employee's leave arrangements and rights," Ms Donnelly said.

A Prime Minister's Department spokesperson said it was proposing to formalise its existing commitment to provide maximum possible support to staff affected by family, domestic or intimate partner violence.

"This will be through a range of leave and flexible work options on a case by case basis," the spokesperson said.

Commonwealth agencies also have to cap pay rises at a rate tied to the private sector wage growth index under changes to the bargaining rules late last year. Ms Donnelly has criticised the restriction.

"It is really disappointing for employees that we see this approach from government, which on one hand says you can't improve your conditions, there are no enhancements to be agreed to, and then on the other hand employees are being asked to accept an arrangement where they don't know what the pay rise that they're being offered into the future is," Ms Donnelly said.

"We all know that APS employees worked extremely hard over the last 12 months in particular to deal with COVID challenges. There isn't much to recommend the government's approach."

READ MORE:

Ms Donnelly said the government's position on public service pay rises was "extremely problematic" in workplace negotiations at both PM&C and the NIAA, but was also causing concern for staff across the federal bureaucracy.

"It shows about this policy that there are significant concerns across APS employees about what it means for them, and their wages and conditions, moving forward," she said.

Parliamentary staffers had already rejected a separate proposed workplace deal since the new workplace bargaining rules - a "remarkable" result that reflected on the new rules, according to Ms Donnelly.

"The government has a problem in terms of this bargaining policy," she said.

The agency overseeing the public service's workforce said 10 Commonwealth employers had reached new workplace deals including changes to pay since the new bargaining policy started last year.

An Australian Public Service Commission spokesperson said workplace agreements should be used to provide individualised and holistic support to employees.

"This includes access to leave such as personal/carer's leave or miscellaneous leave (which is uncapped, discretionary and can be paid or unpaid) for employees affected by family and domestic violence," the spokesperson said.

"Access to personal or miscellaneous leave is one form of support agencies should consider providing to employees affected by family and domestic violence. This is in addition to the five days of unpaid family and domestic violence leave provided under the National Employment Standards."

A PM&C spokesperson said employees had access to community service leave and other forms of paid or unpaid leave, flex or time off in lieu to undertake volunteer work.

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: