CPSU members and staff in the Tax Evasion Referral Centre Dandenong ATO, called a workplace meeting on Wednesday 27 August, which all available staff attended, to discuss concerns about their work environment.
Sensible impact
The meeting on 27 August had a large impact on management, as the next day the Director of TERC personally contacted CPSU to request a meeting to discuss staff concerns.
Two CPSU Delegates were elected by staff and a meeting was held on Wednesday 3 September between CPSU Organisers, Delegates and the TERC Director to raise members’ concerns.
Great outcomes
Since the original workplace meeting management:
has restored five minute processing times after each call – to process work and in addition giving recognition that calls to the Tax Evasion Referral Centre can be of an emotional nature
will slot in time on the roster for mandatory training
will consider what resources are needed to meet service delivery standards and where possible, not ask staff to answer the phone if they are not rostered on
will make an urgent request that a risk assessment be undertaken in the TERC work unit which will include phone rostering and general work environment
will consult and seek feedback from staff on changes that directly affect them, if possible as soon as next week
will make a decision on whether TERC client service staff fall into section 74 of the ATO Employee General Agreement (to be or not to be classified as a call centre – that is the question) as there are specific guidelines on working conditions relating to call centres.
