Northern Territory public servants’ push to work from home knocked back

THE NT’s public service union has been inundated with members who want to work from home for their safety due to the coronavirus crisis but their requests are being denied

CPSU NT regional secretary Kay Densley says 70 per cent of their members say they could do their job from home but only 7 per cent have been approved to do so. Picture: Justin Kennedy

THE NT’s public service union has been inundated with members who need to work from home for their safety due to the coronavirus crisis but their requests are being denied.

Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU) NT regional secretary Kay Densley said the problem was in need of immediate action.

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“Managers should be proactively asking who can work from home and what they need rather than passively waiting for requests or denying genuine cases,” Ms Densley said

“It was only (Thursday) that the Public Service Commissioner sent out revised guidelines for working from home which was long overdue.

“We need immediate action to reduce the numbers of workers in workplaces to keep those essential workers whose job can’t be done from home safer and enabling those who can to stay at home as urged by Health Authorities.”

The CPSU sent a survey to all of their Territory members on Thursday and have already have hundreds of responses.

“The survey found only 58 per cent of public servants could confirm a virus response plan had been implemented in their workplace,” she said.

“Only 38 per cent know their emergency response procedures and 70 per cent said they could do their job from home but only 7 per cent have been approved to do this.

“Just 40 per cent believed their agency was effectively minimising the risk of being exposed to COVID-19.”

Chief Minister Michael Gunner wasn’t able to answer how many Territory public servants were working from home.

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“The people in the business units manage this but someone can work from home. We’re cool. You can do that,” he said.

“They’re are really busy areas of government right now so my first question to public servants will be, are you available and can you slip into one of those roles?”