Council gets order on pay

CAIRNS Regional Council has been ordered to reinstate the salaries of 65 staff stood down after library branches across the region were closed.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s ban on non-essential gatherings meant libraries had to shut up shop.

However, Services Union secretary Neil Henderson said Cairns was so far the only council in Australia to stand down staff without pay – and without consulting the unions.

“The council kept its decision to stand these employees down a secret – it purposely and wilfully failed to notify the union,” he said.

The Queensland Industrial Relations Commission forced the council to keep paying the stood-down workers while it consults the union.

“Employees were stood down, not terminated, and assured that when the coronavirus crisis was over, they would be reinstated,” council CEO John Andrejic said.

“The union were demanding all library employees return to the workplace. Given the libraries are closed, this was not appropriate.

“Council will continue to review its workforce based on the recent announcements by the Federal Government,” he said.

Mr Henderson said Brisbane City Council library staff were still at work preparing book packs for aged care facilities and other jobs.

“We’re also dealing with our Qantas members in Cairns. A large number were stood down on Tuesday and Jetstar staff have been stood down (yesterday),” he said.

“Those organisations are not flying any aeroplanes at the moment – but people are still paying their rates. Why is Cairns in such a hurry?”

Division 5 Cr Richie Bates said Mayor Bob Manning needed to tell the community of any future job cuts before Saturday’s election arrived.

“Council staff and the community want councillors who will support them and not act against their interests,” Cr Bates said.

“We need assurances now, not surprises after the election.”

COUNCIL STAFF AND THE COMMUNITY WANT COUNCILLORS WHO WILL SUPPORT THEM ... CR RICHIE BATES