THE Community and Public Sector Union has agreed to momentarily lift its stop work bans at Fulham Correctional Centre, with discussions continuing at Fair Work Australia Thursday afternoon.
However it remained hopeful Fair Work Australia would allow its protected industrial action to continue.
Fulham Correctional Centre management made an application to FWA to have the CPSU’s protected industrial action terminated, citing unnecessary safety and security issues.
The CPSU agreed to lift its proposed work bans, with prison officers returning to normal work schedules and duties while discussions at FWA continue.
CPSU spokesman Andy Capp said while discussions appeared to be moving closer to a resolution, the decision to withdraw stop work action was purely a tactical move in the hope FWA would allow the union to continue its protected action.
“We finished at Fair Work Australia just before 9pm last night (Wednesday) and we had an expanded discussion on a number of issues,” Mr Capp said.
“We thought we were close to getting a resolution, but it wasn’t to be.
“Management are pushing ahead with its application to terminate protected action, which will be heard at 4pm today (Thursday).”
Fulham Correctional Centre management made an application to FWA to have the protected action terminated, citing unnecessary safety and security issues for staff and prisoners, with prison general manager Troy Ittensohn describing the protected action as “irresponsible”.
Mr Ittensohn said the apparent unwillingness by the unions to bargain in good faith and the ongoing periodic disruptions to normal prison routine were promoting prisoner unrest.
For more read Friday’s Gippsland Times.
