The Community and Public Sector Union has exposed what it describes as severe and systemic underpayments affecting staff at Canberra's Bimberi Youth Justice Centre, with some workers allegedly owed more than 400 hours of unpaid wages.
Seven Minutes a Day Adds Up to Hundreds of Unpaid Hours
According to the union, a critical flaw in the payment system requires youth workers to be at their posts by 8.15am or 8.15pm for their 12-hour shifts. However, their paid time does not begin until the shift officially starts, failing to account for the approximately seven minutes each day it takes for staff to pass through security, collect equipment, and walk to their work areas.
CPSU regional secretary Maddy Northam stated that this time was previously recorded on pay slips but the practice has ceased. The union has reviewed multiple pay records, uncovering cases where individual employees have accrued more than 480 unpaid hours, equating to over 12 weeks of full-time work for which they were not compensated.
Government Accused of Inaction and Excuses
Ms Northam condemned the ACT government's response, alleging a lack of seriousness in addressing the issue. She claims the government has been aware of the problem for years but has instead offered a series of excuses while staff continue to be financially disadvantaged.
"What we've uncovered here is severe and systemic underpayment of people who work for the ACT government. What's worse is that the ACT government has known about this for years, and their only actions to date have been to dig their heels in," Ms Northam said.
She emphasised the human impact, noting, "Some of our members have accrued more than 400 hours of unpaid work. That's 400 hours they weren't with their families, 400 hours they worked for free, 400 hours the ACT government exploited their dedication to young people at Bimberi."
Government Response and Broader Context at Bimberi
In response to the allegations, an ACT government spokesman said the public service was closely examining the issues raised. The spokesman acknowledged the critical role of youth workers and stated the government's expectation that all employees be paid in full and on time.
"When discrepancies are found, they should be worked through and rectified as soon as practical," the spokesman said, adding that the government is committed to working with the CPSU to resolve this matter.
This wage dispute occurs against a backdrop of other challenges at the facility. In August, the union pointed to low staffing levels as a core issue following a report from the ACT National Preventive Mechanism, an oversight body. That report highlighted that a significant increase in young people in detention had created operational pressures, affecting the centre's ability to uphold the rights and wellbeing of its detainees.
