Hume council workers told they would be stood down, via YouTube video
UPDATE: Up to 400 Hume Council employees, stood down due to coronavirus closures via a video uploaded to YouTube, have been given a short reprieve after an MP brokered a deal to keep them on until after Easter.
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Hume Council workers have been told via a YouTube video that hundreds of them will be stood down due to coronavirus.
The council told 400 full time and part-time workers they had be stood down, with two weeks’ pay via the video this week.
However, workers have now been given a minor reprieve, after the union and Broadmeadows state Labor MP Frank McGuire stepped in.
Australian Services Union branch executive president Billy King announced this afternoon that a deal had been brokered to postpone any stand downs until after Easter.
The workers would then be expected to take accrued and future leave.
Mr King said the agreement was particularly important because many of the female workers facing stand-downs were the sole income earners for their families.
“We are very pleased Hume CEO Domenic Isola has agreed to consider new initiatives for redeploying workers in new roles and to consult with the ASU to keep as many people as possible in meaningful work,” he said.
“Every community relies of the essential services delivered by local government and we urge all CEO to consider the welfare of workers and communities as they make decisions.”
Broadmeadows state MP Frank McGuire said he was glad the intervention secured a reprieve until after Easter.
“With good will on all sides we hope to secure as many jobs as possible,” Mr McGuire said.
Earlier in the week, 300 casual staff at the council were told they would not receive any future shifts.
Most of councils services have had to be shut down due to coronavirus concerns.
In the video uploaded to YouTube on Wednesday afternoon, Hume chief executive Domenic Isola said due to the non-services, staff will have to be stood down.
“No one is immune from the possibility these stand downs might apply to them, from co-ordinators, directors, managers and myself,” Mr Isola said in the video.
Mr Isola told Leader the council will continue to operate a range of services for the community in accordance with all restrictions.
“The coronavirus is having a devastating impact on our community, and Hume City Council as an organisation is not immune,” said Mr Isola.
He said council anticipated further facilities will be closed due to coronavirus.
“We are in very strange times, this is not something that I thought I’d ever need to do, but it’s something we are forced to do because of the situation we find ourselves in,” Mr Isola said.
The stand downs will be mainly at Hume’s leisure centres and Global Learning Centres in Broadmeadows, Craigieburn and Sunbury.
Mr Isola said post coronavirus, all workers would return to their jobs.
“As soon as we can start our services again, everyone's job exists and remains,” he said.
The Australian Services Union argued the lay offs weren't necessary and called for the immediate reinstatement of the hundreds of employees who would be stood down.
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Australian Services Union secretary Lisa Darmanin said it was disgusting for Hume to stand down workers when they could still make a real contribution to Hume’s communities.
“Hume is in a strong financial position with over $1.8 billion in accumulated surpluses with the capacity to maintain employment across the city,” Ms Darmanin said.
“Every local community benefits from workers at the Hume City Council continuing to deliver the services they rely on every day.”
courtney.beaumont@news.com.au