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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
National
Catie McLeod and Jonathan Barrett

DARK SECRETS: Gobsmacked australian workplace relations department to replace short term staff with third party contractor | Vintage Vibes

A call centre photo with a headset on a desk near a computer.
A DEWR spokesperson said that while the department was meant to prioritise APS employees for core work, ‘limited use of labour hire’ staff was allowed where needed. Photograph: PhotoAlto/James Hardy/Getty Images

A group of call centre staff kept on short-term contracts at the government department responsible for workplace standards will be replaced by a third-party contractor, with their union warning “vulnerable people” contacting the government could be affected.

Due to laws to improve job security, 13 workers at the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR) are unable to renew their contracts after reaching the maximum period they can remain in short-term positions, their union says.

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