Concerns on the Government's Workplace Bargaining Policy on the Australian Public Service

I work for the Department of and Border Protection as a Border Force Officer and this is my situation of growing frustration with the Government's Workplace Bargaining Policy. They ultimately set the terms and conditions for our new agreement but they have NO process for bargaining or communication with staff. It’s like dealing with someone with no face or name; it feels like talking to a brick wall.

Currently most Officers are being offered a pay rise of 4.7% over 3 years but considering we haven’t had any pay rise in 3 years this is really 4.7% over 6 years. That is less than 0.8% for 6 years - much less than the CPI. This is the offer that our Management are pushing as a good and fair agreement. Is it any wonder that staff has had to resort to industrial action?

It appears that all the negotiations are about stalling the outcome to get another year/s without any pay rise. First they stalled for a year because of the amalgamation of the Australian and Border Protection Force with the Department of Immigration and Border Protection –claiming it was too difficult to even offer a new agreement. Since then we have been offered 3 agreements in 2 years (surely that is stalling) and all were ridiculous offers.

Another concern is the mass transfer of conditions and rights to policy which cannot be disputed and to which staff have no input. In all the agreement offers to date it has been stressed that this is the best they can offer under the Government's Workplace Bargaining Policy. Supposedly we have to show increased efficiencies yet record numbers of Passengers, Cargo and Mail each year with less staff does not seem to count one iota. In my work area we have record detections with less staff and cuts to overtime.

Constantly increasing workloads, loss of conditions and miserably small pay rise offers do not make for a happy work environment. Morale for officers in the Australian Border Force has never been lower in the 21 years I have worked as a “”. It certainly has placed significant stress on family life as well. My wife (also a public servant) and I now work overtime whenever some is available to make up for the shortfall created by rising prices. It’s not easy being good parents when you’re not at home.

Under the Government's Workplace Bargaining Policy the future doesn’t look very bright in the Public Service which should be a role model of a good and fair working environment.

Regards

David Plorer Australian Border Force