Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU) members are continuing to build industrial pressure on the federal government to come back to the bargaining table with a better deal on pay for APS employees.

On Tuesday, 14 November, members in the Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO) and Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR) are taking a two-hour strike from 8:30am - 10:30am.

The action is an escalation from FWO and DEWR members’ one-hour strike on 2 November and follows two rounds of one-hour strikes last week by meat inspectors and on-plant veterinarians in the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.

Later today, the Protected Action Ballor of CPSU members’ in the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) closes. If supported, this could see members in the ACCC taking action as early as next week.

Quotes attributable to Melissa Donnelly, CPSU National Secretary:

“Service-wide bargaining is a unique opportunity for the government to negotiate a pay and conditions package that brings together a fragmented and disparate APS.

“The CPSU wants to see a package on the table that APS employees can proudly get behind, and we believe the Government wants that too.

“There is a clear and simple fix here.

“The conditions package that has been negotiated contains industry-leading working from home rights, an increase to casual loading, significant improvements to paid parental leave and enhanced job security provisions.

“But APS employees want to see the government do better on pay.