00:02The Launceston City Council wanted to be the first local government in Australia to introduce a four-day work week
00:09for its employees, while keeping pay the same.
00:12The council and the Australian Services Union announced the plan in January, arguing it would avoid the need for a
00:185% pay rise.
00:20Therefore, directly reducing any reliance on potential rate increases.
00:25But the idea provoked a fierce backlash from businesses.
00:29We weren't presented with evidence in relation to how the proposal was going to roll out, and particularly what impact
00:35it would have on workforce, but also on service delivery.
00:39The ABC asked for a copy of the council's original business case for the strategy through Right to Information.
00:46But there wasn't one, with the council saying a workforce change of this nature does not lend itself to a
00:52single static document.
00:54Documents the council did provide show it tried to gather some evidence about the policy after it had been announced,
01:01including by reaching out to a professor in New Zealand who had studied the model.
01:05We really need to find the evidence before the fact. That's what we do in business.
01:10The documents also show the council's chief executive, Sam Johnson, tried to control communications about the strategy, urging councillors not
01:19to wade into public debate, briefing them on his media appearances, and eventually sending talking points.
01:25The concern that we had is that there seemed to be a disconnect between councillors, the elected members and the
01:33executive.
01:34And for an issue as big as this, you want to see harmony.
01:36A Launceston City Council spokesperson said the chief executive officer had kept councillors informed and invited questions prior to and
01:45during negotiations.
01:47Mayor Matthew Garwood, meanwhile, posted about the plan on social media and conducted an emoji poll on a four-day
01:53workweek or a rate increase.
01:55In February, the plan was put on ice.
01:58We were relieved that they had listened.
01:59The council has formed a working group to investigate a four-day workweek ahead of the next round of enterprise
02:06agreement discussions.
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