Council employees' status remains unclear

Council employees at Woy Woy depot, the tip and sewerage works, at childcare centres and libraries on the Peninsula have still not had their status confirmed with the Central Coast Council.

United Services Union organiser Mr Luke Hutchinson has claimed many employees on the Peninsula were still waiting for confirmation that they had been transferred from the former Gosford Council to the new Central Coast Council, 15 months after the Gosford Council was merged with Wyong

Mr Hutchinson said most of the Peninsula's Council employees fell under the Assets and Infrastructure Group, managed by former Wyong Council director Mr Mike Dowling.

Well over 50 per cent of the new Council's total workforce comes under the Assets and Infrastructure Group umbrella, he said.

The Assets and Infrastructure hierarchy adopted by the new Council was "quite odd", according to Mr Hutchinson.

"Usually water and sewer are in their own department and then there are other structural groups," he said.

Mr Hutchinson said Central Coast Council had made several attempts to reduce employees' terms and conditions.

"Council raised a dispute in the Industrial Commission to reduce its employees' take-home pays.

"It was resolved in the Commission and an agreement was facilitated between the union and Council that meant no worker's conditions were changed."

Mr Hutchinson said at least 15 disputes between the Union and Central Coast Council had been heard by the NSW Industrial Commission during the past four months, many involving employees on the Peninsula.

He said there had been some progress since June when employees took a vote of no confidence in Council chief Mr Rob Noble and his executive team.

"Members took a stand to try and accelerate things but there are still people who haven't been moved across from the Gosford Council to Central Coast Council," he said.

The latest dispute before the Industrial Commission involves Council's attempts not to pay travel allowances to employees required to travel between the Peninsula and Wyong.

"Council looked not to pay or to reduce those allowances but we are confident we will get a positive resolution from the Commission," said Mr Hutchinson.

"There have also been attempts to remove flexible working arrangements such as the nine-day fortnight that has been in place for a long time in the Gosford Council," he said.

There have been no forced redundancies and employees continue to be protected for three years from the amalgamation date.

Mr Hutchinson said there had been no freeze on recruitment and vacated positions continued to be actively filled.

SOURCES:

Interview, 16 Aug 2017

Luke Hutchinson, United Services Union

Website, 16 Aug 2017

News, United Services Union

Reporter: Jackie Pearson