Centrelink is midway in their trial of call recording
8 July 2010, 10:24am
While the trial is due to finish in September 2010, management have identified they may extend the trial for up to twelve months.
The trial started in March 2010, with Geelong, Perth, Port Macquarie and
Toowoomba participating in the implementation trial. Centrelink have advised us
that they will use information gained during the trial to decide on whether call
recording will be rolled out across the whole of Centrelink Call.
What are some of concerns with call recording?
A lot of unanswered questions remain about how call recording and saving of
screen shots would work in Centrelink. Members have raised genuine concerns
about the potential for this system to be used to target employees as a punitive
performance management tool instead of genuinely supporting your learning and
development. Members have also identified possible OHS issues with call
recording around excessive monitoring. These are issues that would need to be
resolved and safeguards put in place for employees before any call recording
system was fully implemented.
Is the CPSU supporting call recording in Centrelink?
The CPSU is currently in consultation with Centrelink Call regarding call
recording. Some members have asked if this means we support the introduction of
call recording in Centrelink. We have not expressed support or otherwise for
call recording. Your input and feedback which will be instrumental in
determining the union’s position on call recording in Centrelink.
We will consult with management through the trial in order to raise your
issues, and with your feedback, decide how these issues may be addressed.
How do I give feedback to my union?
Every fortnight CPSU delegates from the four trial sites and a CPSU organiser
attend a regular teleconference with representatives of Centrelink’s Call
Recording Project Team. These meetings your representatives raise issues and ask
questions about the trial and they want to hear from you! Please see below the
names of your representatives and how to contact them:
We encourage you to provide us with your feedback on call recording. Do you
have any concerns? Do you think there are benefits? What questions do you want
us to ask Centrelink? We are committed to keeping you informed about the
progress of the trial and will ensure the regular publications of bulletins to
keep you updated.
Need advice or support? If you need advice or support in your
workplace generally, contact your local union delegate or organiser, call
1300 137 636 or email
cpsu.centrelink@cpsu.org.au
