CPSU has many concerns about the government's policy of forced relocation of Public Sector jobs...

John Brumby's issued a press release last week [dated 27/9/02 - grand final eve] advising that the Rural Finance Corporation would begin advertising for staff in the Bendigo local papers.

The press release didn't say that there were already people in these jobs.

CPSU in response is releasing a copy of the letter that was distributed to staff in July 2002 effectively terminating their employment and re-offering staff their own job back however in Bendigo.

A copy of the correspondence in pdf format is attached. (see below)

CPSU has many concerns about the government's policy of forced relocation of Public Sector jobs.

The letter highlights many of these concerns in what can only be described as the most inhumane process possibly devised to date.

The majority of staff have again rejected moving despite the financial odds being stacked against this.

The average employment at Rural Finance is 16.5 years per employee.

23 of 40 employees have more than 15 years and 15 of these have more than 20 years with 6 having greater than 25 years.

The government caps the service recognition of its departure packages at 15 years for voluntary [VDP] and 10 years for targeted [TSP] effectively short changing the vast majority of RFC's affected employees.

There will also be no formal redeployment offered to these staff this time because they are outer budget [not public service] says the Treasurer.

No first option on vacancies will be available and no access to any jobs outside of Treasury will be available.

Effectively those not relocating will be packaged out.

DTF refuses to negotiate any aspects of these two important matters with CPSU and the new CEO is too scared to even agree to make a joint submission to the Treasurer about these concerns.

Yet despite this only 14 of 40 people indicated their intention to move with a number only moving as CPSU has been told to protect their superannuation because they are close to retirement.

RFC is about to have almost its entire corporate knowledge and experience wiped out at once.

It is a ridiculous time to have RFC in internal turmoil.

RFC will be the lead Agency administering drought relief following this weeks announcement by the Premier although it is becoming widely known that Treasury did not support that declaration.

RFC will also be directly competing against the Bendigo Bank for clientele in the Banks hometown.

For those staff not moving then lengthy delays before being released are to apply.

The letter to staff points out that they will have to train their replacement first.

No additional compensation is offered for this cooperation / humiliation.

More Information: Correspondence to Rural Finance Members