Voluntary redundancy packages available

Cairns Regional Council Acting CEO Peter Tabulo today announced that voluntary redundancy packages would be made available to interested and eligible employees.

The Your Career, Your Choice Voluntary Redundancy Program Mark II is part of a streamlining of Council operations to improve efficiencies within the organisation, in line with financial targets, and is in response to decreased workloads associated with the ongoing economic downturn in the Cairns region.

It will be implemented on a strictly voluntary basis, with interested employees invited to apply for the program.

“We want to make it very clear that this program is for employees who choose to apply – no employee will be forced to apply for, nor accept, a Voluntary Redundancy Package.

“Council has a policy of no forced redundancies and this is validated within our new Enterprise Bargaining Agreement, accepted last week.”

Mr Tabulo said a previous round of the Your Career,Your Choice program had drawn high interest from staff.

“We expect just as much interest this time around from employees who see the program as an opportunity to achieve their personal or career goals,” Mr Tabulo said.

“Technology continues to bring changes to our working environment and external circumstances such as decreased development activity has meant workload has become reduced in some areas of Council.

“However, the ongoing delivery of efficient and quality services will be considered as part of the application approval process, with the intent to minimise any impact to Council operations.”

Permanent full-time and part-time staff who have been employed at Cairns Regional Council for at least 12 months will be eligible for consideration by the CEO and Executive Team.

Interested employees have been provided with access to information and support so they are able to assess if this program suits their needs.

All staff and associated unions have been advised of the latest round of the Your Career, Your Choice program and applications will be accepted until August 22.