If you work in an area where you were able to take leave, we hope you had a refreshing and restful break. To all members who worked through, including members whose Summer involved fighting fires in Western Victoria and Gippsland, we thank you for continuing to support Victorians over the holiday period.

The union is set to commence bargaining new agreements at ESSSuper and for Electorate Officers, while enterprise bargaining continues at the Arts agencies, VBA and the Shrine.

Our delegate network is expanding with members currently in the process of electing workplace delegates at a number of departments and agencies. Having a strong delegate network is crucial, so members have in-house industrial support and solidarity when they need it.

Elections

While the by-elections in the state electorates of Prahran and Werribee won’t have much of an impact on state government operations, the result of the looming federal election could have dire industrial consequences.

All of the Agreements the union negotiates on our members’ behalf are created within the federal industrial relations system, since the Victorian industrial relations framework was almost wholly dismantled by the Kennett Government in the 1990s. Long service leave, workers’ compensation and child employment were the only industrial matters within Victoria’s jurisdiction until the recent extension to include Victorian Industrial Manslaughter and Wage Theft laws.

The federal opposition has signalled that if elected a Liberal/National government would wind back recent industrial gains such as the right to disconnect, same job same pay, greater security for casual workers. The opposition parties have also committed to slashing the federal public service, removing thousands of jobs.

WFH battle

While the media is framing flexibility and working from home as measures designed to bring down capitalism (they’re not) while gleefully reporting every incidence of global corporations (and at least one government) ordering their staff back to the office full time, there’s no need for concern or for public service bashing in the media.

Only 1 in 6 Victorian government workers can actually work from home - 5 out of 6 staff are in roles that can’t be performed at home because of the nature of the work.

For the 1 in 6 that can work from home, most are coming in to the workplace weekly and productivity is boosted, along with employee wellbeing.

In August 2024, Premier Jacinta Allan told media “I have no plans to change our flexible working arrangements for the Victorian public service.”

Our vigilance is required to make sure the Premier’s plans don’t change.

 

Wayne Townsend
Acting Branch Secretary