The CPSU campaign to address chronic understaffing in Centrelink achieved another win late last week with DHS renewing another 222 call centre contracts - that's 669 jobs saved in total.
This fantastic win comes thanks to the hard work of CPSU delegates and members across the country. As well as providing work for the non-ongoing staff, the win will help reduce presure on workloads and ensure customers get better service.
The decision confirms the feedback from our members in Centrelink - that staffing in the agency is inadequate and must be urgently addressed to be able to provide essential services to the Australian public.
CPSU delegates from Centrelink call centres have been meeting regularly after hours to share their stories and co-ordinate campaign activities. With the support of their delegates, members have been getting active in their workplaces right across the country. Members have:
Held workplace meetings to discuss the issues
Written to DHS management collectively
Approached local members of parliament to raise issues and gain their support
Arranged visits from MPs to Centrelink call centres to meet with delegates and members
Allowed MPs to gain first hand experience on Centrelink phone lines with CPSU delegates.
What next?
While the CPSU welcomes the latest announcement from DHS, it is clear that members in Centrelink need a permanent solution to chronic understaffing.
Our Permanent jobs = permanent solutions campaign is continuing to build pressure on DHS management to increase the number of permanent positions in call centres. To get involved in the campaign, talk to your CPSU delegate or organiser.
Centrelink offices also need more
CPSU members Centrelink customer service centres are also campaigning for a solution to staff shortages.
Delegates and members around the country are collecting petition signatures and approaching their local MPs to gain support for real solutions to Centrelink staffing.
Want to help?
If you work for Centrelink and want to help make a real difference for staff, clients and the community - talk to your CPSU delegate or organiser about activities in your workplace or call the CPSU Member Service Centre on 1300 137 636.
If you are not yet a CPSU member, join todayand become part of this important campaign. You can also post a message of support below.
Posted by:Selva - 20 Jul 2012, 4:29pm It is very clear that management is targetting staff who are matured ie:55 and above. It contradicts the government initiative for prolonged employment and the encouragement (superannuation etc) they give to Australians. The opposition is having a good laugh and mature staff who are being forced to work for 13 months before being terminated forcibly is what the current government is about. Very unfair to put us out in the cold, some do not have sufficient superannuation to live on.
Posted by:DS - 14 Jul 2012, 1:10pm Medicare is understaffed and people are leaving because they're unhappy.
Centrelink is understaffed but being given 6 weeks training in 2 weeks to cover Medicare shortages.
Call centres are understaffed which causes people to give up and go into the CSC in person.
The DHS website stinks, full of broken links and circular references so you can't even look up the things you don't know because of changes or just the breadth of knowledge you're supposed to have so you can do your job properly.
It took 15 minutes to for a staff member familiar with the system to find the link for lodging an online FTB claim. Kept getting sent back to the page extolling the benefits of online services but not the place to actually log on. How do the customers manage? They give up and ring then give up again and come into the CSC in a seriously bad mood.
It will get worse under Tony Abbott but to be honest, it's difficult to see how, unless we all get employed by Serco or some other private/religious provider.
Well done to the CPSU for saving these call centre jobs but we need more. This is not just a call to the CPSU to do it for us. We also need others to join us and for members to be prepared to take action to change things.
I would also encourage everyone to use the customer feedback procedures every time someone says "I tried to ring but..."
Posted by:Josh - 11 Jul 2012, 7:57pm Great for the call centres. But what about the face to face services offered by the master programs? They are struggling just as much if not more and numbers are dropping rapidly!
Posted by:Max Q - 11 Jul 2012, 10:21am Thanks to all the CPSU delegates for your great work. No one else is fighting to protect jobs in the DHS or give workers a voice. This is why I am a member of my union.
Posted by:heath - 10 Jul 2012, 2:01pm From the news article - a new callback option and a computer system.
Sure. THat will help.
It is very clear that management is targetting staff who are matured ie:55 and above. It contradicts the government initiative for prolonged employment and the encouragement (superannuation etc) they give to Australians. The opposition is having a good laugh and mature staff who are being forced to work for 13 months before being terminated forcibly is what the current government is about. Very unfair to put us out in the cold, some do not have sufficient superannuation to live on.
Medicare is understaffed and people are leaving because they're unhappy. Centrelink is understaffed but being given 6 weeks training in 2 weeks to cover Medicare shortages. Call centres are understaffed which causes people to give up and go into the CSC in person. The DHS website stinks, full of broken links and circular references so you can't even look up the things you don't know because of changes or just the breadth of knowledge you're supposed to have so you can do your job properly. It took 15 minutes to for a staff member familiar with the system to find the link for lodging an online FTB claim. Kept getting sent back to the page extolling the benefits of online services but not the place to actually log on. How do the customers manage? They give up and ring then give up again and come into the CSC in a seriously bad mood. It will get worse under Tony Abbott but to be honest, it's difficult to see how, unless we all get employed by Serco or some other private/religious provider. Well done to the CPSU for saving these call centre jobs but we need more. This is not just a call to the CPSU to do it for us. We also need others to join us and for members to be prepared to take action to change things. I would also encourage everyone to use the customer feedback procedures every time someone says "I tried to ring but..."
Great for the call centres. But what about the face to face services offered by the master programs? They are struggling just as much if not more and numbers are dropping rapidly!
Thanks to all the CPSU delegates for your great work. No one else is fighting to protect jobs in the DHS or give workers a voice. This is why I am a member of my union.
From the news article - a new callback option and a computer system. Sure. THat will help.