Between September and November 2022, CPSU members conducted a WHS Secure
Jobs Audit to assess and better understand the impacts of the high
prevalence of insecure employment in the Department and how it impacts on
the health and wellbeing of members.
DVA workers identified 3 standout issues in our 2022 WHS Secure Jobs Audit
- Insecure forms of work are still prevalent in DVA. DVA have confirmed
that as of 31 January 2023, there are 861 APS staff on non-ongoing
contracts and 861 staff engaged on labour hire contracts out of a total DVA
headcount of 3973.
- Workers in insecure roles, both APS non-ongoing and non-APS, do not feel
they are able to raise concerns about work-related issues such as bullying
and harassment, the adequacy of training, and lack of control over how
their work is done, due to fears for their job security
- Insecure work in the Department is a psychosocial hazard as has been
identified by EY Report. Our survey findings indicated 61% of respondents
on a temporary contract experience negative impacts on their health and
wellbeing because of the nature of their work.
The CPSU is calling on DVA to urgently address the still unacceptably high
prevalence of insecure work in the Department particularly the use of
non-APS labour to undertake what are core, ongoing APS duties.