Local Government Employment Code of Practice signed into law: Fraser

29 August 2007

Local Government Employment Code of Practice signed into law: Fraser

Local Government Minister Andrew Fraser has today unveiled the full detail of the State Government’s comprehensive guarantee to protect the jobs of council employees throughout Queensland during the historic reform of local government.

Speaking at the Local Government Association of Queensland annual conference on the Gold Coast, Mr Fraser said the Local Government Workforce Transition Code of Practice offered security to workers in councils affected by amalgamations.

“This Code of Practice is the product of extensive work and consultation between the department, unions, the Local Government Association of Queensland and the Local Government Management Association,” Mr Fraser said.

“It has the force of law and a common principal – no local government employee will be disadvantaged by reform.”

He said the Code contained the final detail about how the Beattie Government’s Staff Support Package would be rolled out.

“The government has already legislated for a three-year job guarantee for council employees and this Code provides the details of how the job security package will be applied in amalgamated councils.

“Within 12 months, new industrial relations agreements will be in place and there will be no forced work relocations in that period.

“The code sets in place a requirement to preserve as far as possible all jobs in current locations”

“The Code will not only protect permanent employees, it will be extended to ensure employee contracts are honoured.”

Mr Fraser said the focus of the Code of Practice was to ensure job transfers do not cause hardship on employees.

“The overriding rule we have applied in the Code is that no local government employee should be worse off in terms of their pay and conditions: There is a clear principal of no disadvantage to any employee.

“It is concerning that there has been scaremongering amongst the local government workforce that reform will lead to mass job losses, but the release of the Code of Practice quashes those total untruths.

“No local government employee will be retrenched – that’s the law.

“Queenslanders are serviced by a strong, committed local government workforce and we intend to keep it that way.

“Local government reform is about building stronger councils for our growing State and for that to be achieved we need to maintain a strong local government workforce.”

Mr Fraser said the Workforce Transition Code of Practice is binding for all affected local governments under the Local Government Act 1993 and protects and supports employee work arrangements until March 2011.

“The government has allocated $12 million to the Staff Support Package and I urge all new councils to get on board, adopt the Code and move forward with the process of reform.”

“The State Government believes that local governments are just that: governments, not corporations and any attempts to seek to undermine the agreed Code of Practice by looking to John Howard’s unfair Workchoices regime will be fiercely resisted.”

“No-one who has the interests of local government employees at heart would seriously contemplate utilising Workchoices.”

Media contact Chris Taylor or Chris Ward 3227 8825