STATE public servants are preparing to unleash a wave of industrial action aimed at inflicting maximum pain on the Baillieu government including the disruption of efforts to recruit extra police and armed guards following the collapse of pay negotiations.
In a tacit acknowledgement that a deal cannot be salvaged, the industrial umpire has ordered a ballot involving 12,000 union members from 11 government departments.
The Fair Work Australia order details an extraordinary campaign by the Community and Public Sector Union, listing 63 separate actions designed to "frustrate" the government's ability to function.
As the union continued to map out its strategy last night, its headquarters were described as resembling a war room.
The campaign will involve bans on processing emails sent after midday, bans on answering phone calls before 9am and after 4.30pm, bans on processing non-criminal fingerprints by Department of Justice staff and restrictions on the number of child protection cases handled by staff at the Department of Human Services.
The 12,000 union members, representing the majority of government employees across the major departments, will also refuse to help ministerial offices answer letters, help with parliamentary question time briefings or collect statistics or information for government reports.
Ministerial drivers will refuse to pick up passengers before 8am, wash their vehicles or wait for longer than 30 minutes.
It is understood the plan to refuse to process non-criminal finger prints and a range of other measures are specifically aimed at derailing the government's efforts to conduct security checks needed to deliver on a promise to recruit 1700 police officers and 940 protective services officers for train stations.
The union campaign is scheduled to begin in late October as the government attempts to finalise its legislative agenda for the year. The campaign is expected to be turned on and off "for frustration purposes".
Union state secretary Karen Batt said the government had been "disingenuous and disorganised" from the start, with 32,000 public sector workers from around the state affected.
"The order for an industrial action ballot was issued almost immediately by Fair Work Australia following our evidence about the nature of these negotiations," Ms Batt said. "The action planned is widespread and comprehensive. Government should finally work out that their workforce is angry and they're in a fair dinkum blue."
A spokesman for Attorney-General Robert Clark said the government expected that any action taken would not affect the delivery of essential services or community safety.
"If it proves otherwise, the government will apply immediately to Fair Work Australia for orders to bring such industrial action to an end," Mr Clark's spokesman said.
Among other actions planned by the union:
Staff of the Victorian Commission for Gambling Regulation will be banned from collecting data to monitor Crown Casino.
No infringement notices will be issued to taxi drivers except in emergencies.
Sheriff's officers from the Department of Justice will refuse to use wheel clamps or issue driver licence or registration suspensions.
Youth justice workers in the Department of Human Services will refer all cases to management once they have more 12 cases to deal with, while child protection workers will accept no more than 12 cases each.
The government is refusing to budge from a 2.5 per cent annual pay offer unless additional amounts are offset by "bankable" savings.
The union has demanded a 6 per cent annual pay rise for public servants, a 35-hour basic working week, six weeks' annual leave and a 1.75 percentage point increase to the superannuation guarantee.
As revealed by The Age, the government has costed the pay claim at $2.9 billion over four years. It says total demands from five key unions would be worth $21 billion over four years.
Opposition Leader Daniel Andrews said Premier Ted Baillieu had broken a promise to negotiate in good faith. He said the Premier was arguing that hundreds of thousands of Victorians should get a pay rise below the rate of inflation despite running an election campaign focusing on cost-of-living pressures. "I would have hoped that in the face of this very serious and unprecedented industrial action the Premier would realise he has this wrong."
Frequently Asked Questions about this Article…
What industrial action is the Community and Public Sector Union planning against the Baillieu government?
The union has mapped out a wide campaign listing 63 separate actions intended to “frustrate” government operations. The Fair Work Australia order covers a ballot of 12,000 union members across 11 government departments. Planned measures include bans on processing emails sent after midday, limits on answering phone calls outside 9am–4.30pm, refusal to process non‑criminal fingerprints, restrictions on the number of child protection cases handled, and refusals to assist ministerial offices with letters, briefings or statistics.
When will the public sector industrial campaign begin and how will it be timed?
The campaign is scheduled to begin in late October as the government finalises its legislative agenda for the year. The union plans to switch actions on and off “for frustration purposes,” meaning the disruption could be intermittent and targeted to maximise pressure.
How could the union action affect the government's recruitment of police and protective services officers?
The article says several measures are specifically aimed at derailing security checks needed for recruitment. For example, refusing to process non‑criminal fingerprints and other administrative bans could slow or block the security clearance steps needed to recruit about 1,700 police officers and 940 protective services officers for train stations.
What pay rise and workplace changes is the union demanding, and what is the government offering?
The union has demanded a 6% annual pay rise for public servants, a 35‑hour basic working week, six weeks’ annual leave and a 1.75 percentage‑point increase to the superannuation guarantee. The government is refusing to move from a 2.5% annual pay offer unless any additional amounts are offset by “bankable” savings.
What are the estimated budget costs mentioned in the dispute and why do they matter to investors?
The government has costed the union’s pay claim at $2.9 billion over four years and says total demands from five key unions would be worth $21 billion over four years. Those figures matter to everyday investors because large increases in state wage or benefit commitments can affect the state budget, fiscal outlook and potential policy decisions.
Which specific government services and departments are likely to be disrupted by the planned actions?
The article names several areas: Department of Justice staff (including sheriff’s officers refusing wheel clamps or licence suspensions), Department of Human Services (youth justice and child protection limiting caseloads to 12 each), the Victorian Commission for Gambling Regulation (banned from collecting Crown Casino monitoring data), ministerial drivers (refusing early pickups or long waits), and enforcement of taxi infringement notices (only in emergencies).
What legal or regulatory steps can the government take if industrial action affects essential services?
A spokesman for Attorney‑General Robert Clark said the government expects essential services and community safety won’t be affected, but if they are, the government will immediately apply to Fair Work Australia for orders to bring the industrial action to an end. Fair Work Australia already issued the order for a ballot after reviewing the union’s evidence.
What are the political implications of the dispute for the Baillieu government and how might that influence investors’ views?
Opposition Leader Daniel Andrews accused Premier Ted Baillieu of breaking a promise to negotiate in good faith, framing the dispute as a political as well as industrial issue. For investors, heightened political tension and large budgeted claims can increase uncertainty about the state’s legislative agenda, fiscal policy and the timing of reforms — factors that can influence market sentiment toward state assets or projects.
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