Council Workers Have Right to Attend Amalgamation Consultations In Person

Media release – Australian Services Union, 31 May 2023

Tasmania’s council workers need the right to attend amalgamation consultations in person, says the ASU

Tasmanian council workers, already worried over a relentless and predetermined push for widespread amalgamation by the state government and its Local Government Board, risk being denied or access to face-to-face staff consultation sessions.

Just nine face-to-face sessions gathering feedback on the impact of amalgamation have been offered.

Council staff will have to travel great distances to make their cases in person, and for those working in remote locations such as King Island or Flinders Island councils, there is little hope for them to be heard.

Adding to the complexity, many councils are part of two or more consultative areas meaning council staff will need to be released from work and supported to attend multiple consultations

The Australian Services Union says every Tasmanian council staff member should be entitled to attend any staff consultation relevant to their council area, without restriction from their employer, and with their employer’s support.

Every worker needs to be able to attend consultations relevant to the future of their workplace. There must be no limit to their right to attend,” ASU secretary Lisa Darmanin says.

‘For instance, council employees at Brighton Council should be able to attend the Western Shore consultation in Hobart, Eastern Shore consultation in Mornington, and Central & Midlands consultation in Bothwell without restriction.

‘Each council which falls into more than one consultation area should be supporting its staff in attending all the relevant sessions. Anything less will cause the consultation to fail, and those most directly affected by the scheme to amalgamate will be disenfranchised.

‘The ASU appreciates and welcomes the efforts by the Local Government Association of Tasmania (LGAT) to facilitate these consultations, but the government’s haste and complexity of the proposals may limit worker ability to have a say on their work-future.

‘Any limitations on worker feedback are anti-democratic and designed to restrain honest feedback on the awful effects amalgamation will wreak on Tasmanian communities.

‘Local Government Minister Nic Street should step in and direct Tasmania’s councils to release their staff for the relevant consultations.’