City of Greater Geelong Chief Executive Stephen Griffin said the City has meetings scheduled with union representatives at 9am tomorrow to try to resolve the work bans dispute.
 
He said the number of employees intending to comply with the bans was not known at this stage, but he said only those employees who were members of the participating unions were eligible to take part in the industrial action.
 
Mr Griffin said that if the bans progressed to a point at which health and safety issues became a consideration, the City would be applying to Fair Work Australia to have those particular bans lifted.
 
The 11 work bans to be invoked by the unions are:
 

• a ban on wearing name badges and showing prospective parents around childcare centres
• a ban on attendance at staff or team meetings or ‘one on one’ meetings with supervisors/team leaders
• a ban on responding to all requests from Councillors
•  a ban on the issuing of infringement notices in Green-signed areas
• a ban on street cleaning work in Malop Street, Little Malop Street, Moorabool Street and Waterfront, consisting of litter bins, pit crews and street sweepers
• a ban on accepting rates’ payments or processing of infringements
• one hour, four hour and/or eight hour stop work meetings
• no two-way radio communication
• no action on Requests for Service (RFS)
• a full vehicle check before start of work, and
• a ban on attendance at CEO briefings or information meetings.  

  
Mr Griffin said the imposition of the work bans created a very difficult situation for Council and the community.
 
He said the City remained firm in its belief that the unions’ salary claim for a 16 percent increase over three years was excessive and unreasonable, and was simply unaffordable in the current economic climate.
 
“The cumulative total of this claim over three year is approximately $28 million in increased costs, which would have to be funded through rate increases,” Mr Griffin said.
 
“We believe the City’s offer of a 3.75 percent increase each year over the next two years, and an increased range of improved conditions such as paid maternity leave extensions is most reasonable,” he said. 
 
“It is very disappointing that the unions are pushing ahead with work bans, but we will do our best to maintain Council’s services across the municipality.”
 
Mr Griffin said the City had serious concerns at the effects the union work bans might have on car parking issues across the municipality.
 
“The legal requirements that motorists must park their vehicles correctly remain as normal, and motorists will still have to comply with time limits and parking payment requirements,” he said.
 
“We cannot be sure at this stage regarding the numbers of staff taking part in the union action, but even though available staff numbers may be reduced, there is still the potential for parking infringement notices to be issued.”
 
“The safety of the public is our main concern, and we appeal to the motoring public to act responsibly and adhere strictly to the existing traffic rules,” Mr Griffin said.