Union challenges Council on maximum-term contracts

Imagine if your employer deliberately undermined your employment opportunities because you were simply a member of a union? Well look no further than Torres Strait Island Regional Council!

Picture this, you work on one of the 15 islands, and you have been strung along by TSIRC year after year on maximum-term contracts (6 month and 1 year maximum-term contracts). The end of the year comes along and with it the end of your contract, you are waiting for Council to let you know whether you have a job next year or not.

This has been going on for years at TSIRC! Often members have only had a few days’ notice that their contract will get renewed.

June 2024 comes along, and Council finally decide that these jobs need to be made permanent. Great! Except there is a catch – The employees must re-apply for the jobs that some of them have been doing for years. Not only that, but they are also being advertised externally.

Union members contacted the Union raising concerns and our Union swiftly put this matter into dispute. Our Union explained to Council that there was a simple solution to this matter and that was to convert these employees to permanent status, a provision within your Certified Agreement (Permanent Conversion 2.1.7). Council outright refused this option and just went ahead with their original plan, except, because the Union got involved the Council now made it clear that instead of advertising the roles as permanent jobs, they would now only advertise them on a maximum-term basis.

This is completely unacceptable from TSIRC. Council informed our Union recently that they disliked one of our newsletters that described the Council as a ‘miserable employer’ – maybe  Council should start being less miserable, punitive and uncooperative.  

Enough is enough

Our Union has now lodged two applications with the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission. We are alleging that the Council has contravened the Queensland Industrial Relations Act, in particular the Council clearly undermining employee’s workplace rights – requesting permanency and being represented by the Union.

As if poor wages and no locality allowance isn’t enough! Council also wants to undermine your job security and rights as union members.

Work with colleagues who haven’t joined the Union yet? Let them know what it means to stick together and work cooperatively. They can join The Services Union here and find out.

Certified Agreement Update

The expiry date for your Certified Agreement is creeping up on us (2 September 2024) and we have been reminding Council of their obligation to come to the negotiation table, but all we haven't heard a peep. Our Union sent our notification of intention to bargain last month to try and hurry the process along but still nothing.

We have got our log of claims ready to go and we are simply waiting for Council now. Maybe they think the longer they wait the more likely it is members will forget Council’s inequitable approach to wage increases?

High Union membership is the best way to send a strong message to Council that you need and deserve better from your employer. Encourage your colleagues to join here.