Published Tuesday, 22 May, 2007 at 10:00 AM
JOINT STATEMENT
Premier and Minister for Trade
The Honourable Peter Beattie
Minister for Local Government, Planning and Sport
The Honourable Andrew Fraser
COUNCIL WORKERS TO HAVE THEIR JOBS GUARANTEED FOR TWO YEARS.
The State Government has assured council staff around Queensland that there will be no forced redundancies as a result of the Local Government Reform process.
Premier Peter Beattie and Local Government and Planning Minister Andrew Fraser today announced a Staff Support Package that would ensure local government sector employees who want to keep working for councils will be able to do so.
Mr Beattie said next month’s State Budget would allocate $12 million to the support package.
“I am concerned that the current scare campaign is making council staff and their families unduly worried about their job security,” Mr Beattie said.
“I want to assure them that there will be no forced redundancies for two years from March 2008.
“In other words, all council workers will be guaranteed employment for two years from that date.
“The only people who will be affected are those mayors, councillors and chief executive officers of councils which are identified by the Local Government Reform Commission for amalgamation.
“There are currently more than 1200 local government councillors across the State, clearly this number is unsustainable.
“It is also anticipated there will be fewer senior executive positions once councils merge.
“However the same number of garbage bins will still have to be collected, the same number of parks will still need to be maintained, the same number of library books will still have to be checked out – and those are all jobs performed by council staff,” Mr Beattie said.
Minister Fraser said the Staff Support Package would apply for a two-year transition period, from the March 2008 local government elections through to March 2010.
“A key priority of the reform is to give council workers an orderly transition and to minimise the impact on jobs and uncertainty for employees,” Mr Fraser said.
“The Staff Support Package will provide certainty to staff about jobs, job changes, employment security and the support available to assist in the transition.
“This Government is committed to maximising employment security and will protect the State’s 37,000 local government employees through a policy of no forced redundancies for two years.
“We will provide funding to councils to support staff in the transition.
“I understand that reform is difficult and I understand and appreciate the level of concern and uncertainty among council employees
“But just as the Government is determined to transform local government for the first time in a century, it is equally determined to ensure jobs are safe and today we can give council employees firm assurances.”
Media contact:
Chris Taylor 0419 710 874
Chris Ward 0418 424 654
Premier Peter Beattie and Local Government and Planning Minister Andrew Fraser today announced a Staff Support Package that would ensure local government sector employees who want to keep working for councils will be able to do so.
Mr Beattie said next month’s State Budget would allocate $12 million to the support package.
“I am concerned that the current scare campaign is making council staff and their families unduly worried about their job security,” Mr Beattie said.
“I want to assure them that there will be no forced redundancies for two years from March 2008.
“In other words, all council workers will be guaranteed employment for two years from that date.
“The only people who will be affected are those mayors, councillors and chief executive officers of councils which are identified by the Local Government Reform Commission for amalgamation.
“There are currently more than 1200 local government councillors across the State, clearly this number is unsustainable.
“It is also anticipated there will be fewer senior executive positions once councils merge.
“However the same number of garbage bins will still have to be collected, the same number of parks will still need to be maintained, the same number of library books will still have to be checked out – and those are all jobs performed by council staff,” Mr Beattie said.
Minister Fraser said the Staff Support Package would apply for a two-year transition period, from the March 2008 local government elections through to March 2010.
“A key priority of the reform is to give council workers an orderly transition and to minimise the impact on jobs and uncertainty for employees,” Mr Fraser said.
“The Staff Support Package will provide certainty to staff about jobs, job changes, employment security and the support available to assist in the transition.
“This Government is committed to maximising employment security and will protect the State’s 37,000 local government employees through a policy of no forced redundancies for two years.
“We will provide funding to councils to support staff in the transition.
“I understand that reform is difficult and I understand and appreciate the level of concern and uncertainty among council employees
“But just as the Government is determined to transform local government for the first time in a century, it is equally determined to ensure jobs are safe and today we can give council employees firm assurances.”
Media contact:
Chris Taylor 0419 710 874
Chris Ward 0418 424 654