City plans to reduce staff hours

All City of Albany staff have been asked to reduce their hours by 20 per cent in a bid to prevent job losses and plug an expected $7.3 million loss in revenue over the next six months. City of Albany chief executive officer Andrew Sharpe said the City’s latest proposal would see a reduction in its capital works program, use of the City’s reserve funds and a reduction in staff hours to balance the budget. Mr Sharpe said the proposal depended on the collective support of City employees, who were consulted on the plans last week. Under the proposal the entire staff, including Mr Sharpe, would agree to a wage freeze for the next financial year and a 20 per cent reduction in hours from July to December. “If we are not able to get the staff to come on board then I suppose we will need to look at other measures, and then we wouldn’t be able to guarantee that we wouldn’t stand down staff,” he said. “This in my view very much aligns with the values of the organisation... one of those values in particular is being united by working and learning together.” Mr Sharpe said before the proposal to decrease hours was hatched the City was “potentially looking at a stand-down before June”. “We are working collectively with the staff group to find essentially a solution to the dilemma that the City is currently facing,” he said. “The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact not just on the Albany community and small business but the City of Albany revenue streams have really taken a hit.” He hoped the proposal could lead the way for other local governments grappling with the financial devastation of COVID-19 without the support of JobKeeper payments.