You can't be punished for taking part.
 Under the Industrial Relations Act 2016, your employer cannot dismiss you, discipline you, or treat you unfairly because you're taking part in protected action. That includes threats. If your employer takes action against you because of protected industrial action, that's unlawful.

What to watch for.
Your employer can still direct and manage your work as normal outside of the specific actions covered by the notice. If something happens that doesn't feel right — a manager pushing back, a comment that feels like a threat, or anything that makes you unsure where you stand,  don't sit with it; get in touch: your.union@together.org.au.  

In accordance with s236 of the Industrial Relations Act 2016, your union has given the Department formal notice that the following Protected Industrial Action for Stage Two starts on Monday 17 August 2026.  

The Stage One actions remain in effect alongside these new bans.

The notified actions for Stage Two are for both departments:

• A work ban on logbook and fuel reconciliation;
  • For clarity, this is a ban on completing logbooks; it is also a ban on completing fuel reconciliation. Staff still need to use LBM and UMS.
• A work ban on completing Additional Child Care Subsidy Letters.
• A work ban on monitoring monthly financial records, including VAT reporting;
• A work ban on responding to Ministerial requests, including complaints via MINCOR;
• A work ban on writing or providing input to briefing notes;
• A work ban on responding to requests for data and insights;
• A work ban on closing or accepting closure of incidents in Service Now;
• A work ban on completing or reviewing Service Response Plans, CHART or ERIC;
• A work ban on submitting or completing PCR forms.

• A work ban on submitting or completing Child Permanency Review (CPR) forms.

  • Note: This action was notified to start on Friday, 21 August 2026.

CHILD SAFETY SPECIFIC: 

• A work ban on attending internal meetings, events and briefings in person, via video or by phone conference; this includes: 

For clarity, the meetings ban for DFSDSCS is confined to non-client, administrative meetings. It applies to:

1. Team meetings;

2. all-of-office meetings; and

3. Regional Director and Regional Executive Director briefings. 

The meetings ban does not apply to any client-related consultation or decision-making process. Without limitation, it does not apply to:

1. professional supervision or line management supervision;

2. practice panels;

3. internal case consultations;

4. legal consultations;

5. family-led decision-making meetings;

6. standards of care consultations; or

7. Suspected Child Abuse and Neglect (SCAN) team meetings.

• A work ban on completing Unify forms for Case Plans, PSNAs or CSNAs

For clarity on this action, Case Plans, PSNAs and CSNAs are still conducted, but would be uploaded to case notes on Unify, not by using the relevant Unify Forms. 

YOUTH JUSTICE SPECIFIC: 

• A work ban on attending internal meetings, events and briefings, in person, video or phone conference;

Important to note:

The bans on Unify forms/PSNAs/CSNAs, Service Response Plans/CHART/ERIC, and PCR forms do not apply where there is a child or young person in immediate danger, or an emergent situation as defined by the member taking the action. If you're unsure whether a situation falls within this carve-out, use your judgement to keep children and young people safe first, then get in touch with your union, union delegate or by email at your.union@together.org.au 

Resources for Stage Two

• Email Template - to notify that you are not attending meetings, events or briefings. (As an Outlook Template, this should load on outlook ready to send for you)
  

In accordance with s236 of the Industrial Relations Act 2016, your union has given the Department formal notice that the following Protected Industrial Action for stage one starts on 3 August 2026.

The notified actions for Stage one are:

• Activating "out of office" replies (internal and/or external) with union campaign messages
• Updating email signatures with union messages and images
• Displaying signage — internal and external — with union materials
• Wearing campaign clothing and stickers
• A work ban on reporting on protected action being undertaken
• A work ban on performing duties not being done due to protected action

Child Safety

Youth Justice