Qld: Union seeks talks over public service plan

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Qld: Union seeks talks over public service plan

By Paul Osborne

BRISBANE, Dec 18 AAP - Queensland's public sector union today sought talks in the industrialcommission in a bid to stave off job cuts.

State cabinet on Monday agreed to a plan to redeploy 1,200 public servants involvedin corporate services, such as payroll and human resources.

Queensland Public Sector Union spokesman Steven Miles told AAP the union had todaysought a compulsory conference with the government in the industrial commission, whichwas expected to be held tomorrow or Friday.

Mr Miles said the government had an obligation to consult workers and demonstrate theplan's public benefit.

"We would argue there is a public detriment," Mr Miles said.

Treasurer Terry Mackenroth told reporters no public servants would be sacked underthe Shared Service Initiative (SSI).

"There will be some savings in terms of the jobs being done in those areas, but nopublic servants will be sacked - they will find other jobs in the public service," MrMackenroth said.

He said the government had not decided whether a further round of voluntary early retirements(VERs), which were taken up by about 1,300 public servants this year, would be offered.

"I don't know what will happen in the future - at this stage there are no plans tooffer any new VERs, although there are still some offers there for public servants whomay wish to take them," Mr Mackenroth said.

He said the SSI would save around $100 million a year once it was fully operating,which would be put into service delivery.

AAP pjo/jhm/cjh/de

KEYWORD: PUBLIC NIGHTLEAD