Media release – Australian Services Union, 16 March 2022
Huon Valley Council Staff Angry Over Council Recruitment Processes
Employees at Huon Valley Council have contacted their union, the ASU, to express anger and frustration at flawed executive recruitment processes and a lack of procedural transparency. They have called for the Council to conduct a proper engagement process with staff regarding Council recruitment, following community concerns.
Huon Council Ratepayers have been raising complaints over Council’s CEO recruitment processes since last year, setting up a petition and submitting concerns to a public community meeting held on 4 February 2022, from which 81 motions were put to Council.
Yet while the Council has since agreed to undertake a related survey into community concerns, the vast majority of council staff are being excluded from participating.
ASU Organiser, Karen Tantari said the ASU recently met with Council’s employees to hear their concerns, and as a result the ASU is conducting its own survey of staff.
“Staff concerns raised at the meetings, coupled with the results of the survey to date, are unsurprisingly critical of Council” said Ms Tantari.
“Responses to our survey consistently report a lack of confidence and trust for Council and that this is having a negative impact on staff wellbeing.”
“Specific issues include flawed recruitment processes and under-resourcing leading to dangerously high workloads.”
Ms Tantari said “Staff are merely seeking an opportunity to be included in Council’s recruitment process related survey.”
“The Councillors need to make important decisions impacting on Council operations and seeking input from only a select senior group whilst excluding feedback from workers at the ‘coal face’ is not the best way to inform itself before making those decisions. Staff just want to have their voices heard as well!”
Most Council employees are also Huon Valley ratepayers. They live and work within the community and are bearing the brunt of broader community anger at Council. Over the last few years, the Huon Valley community, including Council staff, have been through significant turmoil, including the Council being in administration, devastating bushfires, and the COVID-19 pandemic. The important input of staff and community should not be ignored. The ASU stands with its members and all Council staff in asking Councillors not to shut out the voices of the workers who deliver services to the community every day.
The ASU has written to Huon Mayor Bec Enders requesting that the Councillors commit to surveying all employees. To date, we have had no response to this request.
