Family and Community Services – Meeting with Minister re Housing
14 June 2016
Recently, the Minister for Family and Community Services, Brad Hazzard, invited É«ÀÇÉçÇøGeneral Secretary Anne Gardiner to meet to discuss issues related to Housing.
The meeting occurred last week and É«ÀÇÉçÇøstaff were accompanied by a Housing delegate.
Matters discussed included:
- work overload and resulting stress
- the use of agency staff
- difficulties arising from the new Broadspectrum maintenance contract, including increased queries and complaints as well as the inability of Housing staff to access relevant information
- the need for consultation with staff before relocation is considered.
During the meeting, Minister Hazzard undertook to ask the Department to review the concerns that the union raised. He expressed surprise at the number of agency staff rather than temporary staff being employed by Housing.
The É«ÀÇÉçÇøhighlighted the distress of some staff in Housing due to work overload. The Minister appeared genuinely concerned by this.
A further update will be provided to É«ÀÇÉçÇømembers once the Department has provided a response to the Minister regarding the above issues.