In a heartfelt open letter addressed to a local editor, an anonymous non-established government worker has lifted the lid on years of uncertainty and unfair working conditions stemming from a lack of transparency around their employment terms. The worker, who has served in the public sector since graduating from secondary school in 2018, said they originally took on the role believing it would follow standard public service working arrangements. But in a sudden shift, management recently reclassified their position as a special role on the basis of the duty allowance they receive, granting agency leadership broad authority to summon them for work at any time – including public holidays, for any length of shift and to complete any assigned task.
Under the terms of the national Collective Bargaining Agreement for government workers, management claims the worker’s total compensation is limited to their base salary plus this duty allowance, with no additional overtime or entitlements for on-call work. What makes the situation particularly unacceptable, the worker argues, is that no party has been able to provide them with a copy of the agreement to verify these claims themselves. When they approached their labor union to request access to the document, representatives refused to share it. A subsequent inquiry to their government ministry directed them to the national Government Printery, which told the worker it no longer held copies of the agreement.
The worker stressed that they are not refusing to carry out their assigned duties and have a long track record of hard work in their role. They simply believe that all employees have a fundamental right to full transparency around the terms of their employment. “Workers deserve to know what they sign up for and what the rules really say,” they wrote. “To just pop up with new rules after years of work is unreasonable. If the agreement really does grant the government these far-reaching powers, the very least workers should get is the chance to read it for themselves.”
The ongoing uncertainty and unpredictable on-call schedule have already taken a major toll on the worker’s personal and financial life. They told the editor they still do not earn enough to afford building a adequate family home, and the constant risk of being called into work has left them with almost no personal time. This lack of work-life balance has even put the possibility of starting a family or maintaining a normal social life out of reach. “It feels like the people at the bottom always have to carry the burden while nobody in charge is listening,” they added.
Now, the worker is issuing a public appeal to anyone who holds a copy of the 2010–2020 Collective Bargaining Agreement for non-established government workers to share the document with them. They argue that it is fundamentally wrong that working people should have to beg for access to the legal agreement that governs every aspect of their employment. The letter closes with a plea for public attention and meaningful change, calling on leaders to address the lack of transparency and unfair working conditions faced by low-level non-established public servants across the country.