“Parliamentary staff,like any other employees,should have the right to disconnect. Whether you’re in an electoral office or a ministerial office,you should be able to switch off from work,” Donnelly said. “The issue of workloads and working hours is the number one issue that employees have been raising with us as we go into this bargaining round.”
The staffers’ push brings into focus the broad applicability ofthe new law,which passed last week. The business lobby says it will lead to workplace breakdowns,productivity losses and the reduction of other flexible conditions. The union movement has rubbished those claims.
After accusations from employers and the opposition the legislation had been rushed,Workplace Relations Minister Tony Burke said in an interview with ABC’s7.30 program on Monday night he wanted to pass the reform last year,even though he had only publicly committed to it in December.
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“At one level,it is interesting that this is even controversial. At its core,all we are saying is that you are meant to be paid when you are working in Australia,” Burke said. “This is effectively what this whole debate is about,and when there is give and take,having this right will make no difference at all.”
The CPSU has submitted a bargaining claim on behalf of its members in federal MPs’ offices across the political spectrum,calling for a 20 per cent pay rise over three years and has demanded an end to unreasonable hours,reigniting a debate triggered by independent MPMonique Ryan’s former adviser Sally Rugg.
The CPSU,United Services Union,and Australian Services Union are all involved in the negotiations,and have bargaining representatives from Labor,Greens and independent MPs’ offices,while Coalition staffers also have bargaining representatives from each office. A single enterprise agreement will be formed at the end of negotiations and applied to all staffers.