The Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU) has taken aim at the Federal Government for axing more than one hundred jobs across the Australia Taxation Office (ATO) at a time when its productivity cuts are already placing significant demands on the public service.

133 tax workers from predominantly regional areas were sacked last week as the ATO moves to meet the Federal Government’s productivity cut of 3.25 per cent.

CPSU Acting National Secretary, Mark Gepp criticised the Federal Government for repeatedly speaking about protecting jobs and investing in Australia workplaces.

“So you would think the Federal Government, of all employers, would trying to create jobs not cuts them among its own workforce.”

The sacked tax workers from areas including Melbourne, Newcastle, Penrith, Chermside and Moonee Ponds, were due to finish their employment contracts on June 30.

The CPSU said the cuts gave the ATO no choice but to force the employees out earlier. The Union also said that finding work in regional areas was already a challenge and the cuts had made it even more difficult.   
         
“Workers in regional areas depend on the stable employment that the public service provides,” CPSU Acting National Secretary, Mark Gepp said.  

“The Federal Government’s productivity budget cuts come at the expense of the jobs that regional workers and their communities rely on.

According to Mr Gepp, the arbitrary productivity cuts would continue to threaten the jobs of public sector workers until the Federal Government committed to removing them ahead of the Federal budget this year.

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