Are preparing to use involuntary redundancies to meet their staff cut
targets.
Believe the Austrade Agreement only requires them to give workers one
month to be redeployed before they are made excess and made involuntarily
redundant.
CPSU is opposed to involuntary redundancy and says management must think
again.
What has happened?
Austrade has identified approximately 20 positions to be cut. In some cases
they have called for expressions of interest for a voluntary redundancy and are
currently making VR offers to selected staff. However in other cases management
have identified specific positions to be cut and told affected staff they have
to quickly find another job or be made involuntarily redundant. It is these
staff that CPSU is greatly concerned about.
One month is not enough time for redeployment
Austrade are using a very tight timetable with limited redeployment time:
Management notify an employee that they are potentially excess and then
only give that worker one month to consider their options and seek
redeployment.
After one month, management declare the worker “excess” and give them
notice they are to be terminated. The worker can wait 35 days and then be
involuntarily retired or cash out the 35 notice period.
Staffing cuts mean that there are limited redeployment opportunities in
Austrade. Therefore it is most likely that Austrade staff would need to be
redeployed to another APS department. However the process Austrade are using
does not provide enough time to do so.
What is CPSU doing?
CPSU is opposed to involuntary redundancy. We are seeking Austrade’s
agreement that:
There will be no involuntary redundancies and Austrade will now offer
staff more time for redeployment, and provide retraining as required.
Staff who want a package can “swap” with staff that do not.
CPSU has asked management to respond by Wednesday June 18.
What you can do
For expert advice and support join CPSU today -
online or call CPSU on 1300
137 636.
Tell us what you think about involuntary redundancies in Austrade –
email your feedback to
borders@cpsu.org.au
