New laws to 'protect' council workers

Sunshine Coast council workers cannot be forced to relocate within the first year of the new super council under a new code of practice being introduced in Queensland.

Sunshine Coast council workers cannot be forced to relocate within the first year of the new super council under a new code of practice being introduced in Queensland.

Local Government Minister Andrew Fraser yesterday unveiled the full detail of the government's 'guarantee to protect the jobs of council employees throughout Queensland during the historic reform of local government'.

Mr Fraser said the Local Government Workforce Transition Code of Practice offered security to workers in councils affected by amalgamations.

“This Code of Practice is the product of extensive work and consultation between the department, unions, the Local Government Association of Queensland and the Local Government Management Association,” Mr Fraser said.

“It has the force of law and a common principal – no local government employee will be disadvantaged by reform.”

“The government has already legislated for a three-year job guarantee for council employees and this Code provides the details of how the job security package will be applied in amalgamated councils.

“Within 12 months, new industrial relations agreements will be in place and there will be no forced work relocations in that period.

“The code sets in place a requirement to preserve as far as possible all jobs in current locations”

“The code will not only protect permanent employees, it will be extended to ensure employee contracts are honoured.”

Mr Fraser said the focus of the Code of Practice was to ensure job transfers do not cause hardship on employees.

“The overriding rule we have applied in the code is that no local government employee should be worse off in terms of their pay and conditions: There is a clear principal of no disadvantage to any employee.

“It is concerning that there has been scaremongering amongst the local government workforce that reform will lead to mass job losses... No local government employee will be retrenched – that’s the law.

Mr Fraser said the Workforce Transition Code of Practice is binding for all affected local governments under the Local Government Act 1993 and protects and supports employee work arrangements until March 2011.

“The government has allocated $12 million to the Staff Support Package and I urge all new councils to get on board, adopt the Code and move forward with the process of reform.”

Originally published as New laws to 'protect' council workers