ACC Working From Home Restrictions Spark Legal Action
ACC Workers’ Union Demands Halt to New Work-From-Home Rule
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The Public service Association (PSA) is calling on the Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) to suspend a new work-from-home rule and engage in proper consultation with its staff. The union argues the change violates existing collective agreements and disregards employee input.
Dispute Over Flexible Work Arrangements
ACC’s new rule, set to take effect December 1, 2023, has sparked criticism from the PSA, wich represents approximately 1200 ACC workers who participated in a large-scale strike last month. The PSA alleges ACC has “ridden roughshod” over its legal obligations under the collective agreement and “completely ignored the views of workers” by implementing the change unilaterally.
Fleur Fitzsimons, the PSA’s national secretary, emphasized that flexible working arrangements were previously promoted by ACC as an employee benefit. She stated that employees deserve to have existing legal arrangements upheld and to be consulted on changes that will “significantly impact” their working lives.
Collective Agreement Concerns
The PSA contends that the new rule breaches the collective agreement, which requires ACC to promote and maintain mutual trust and cooperation between the association and its staff. The union is requesting that ACC suspend the rule and initiate a proper consultation process.
“This is not the behavior we expect from any public sector employer when the obligations spelt out in collective agreements are crystal clear,” Fitzsimons said.
Call for Cultural Change and Fair pay
Beyond the work-from-home policy, the PSA is urging ACC to address broader cultural issues and return to the bargaining table with a fair pay offer. Fitzsimons stated, “Fix the culture problems, reverse the decision on working from home, and come back to bargaining with a fair pay offer.”