Union turns spotlight on infrastructure bosses

A trade union official is hitting out at suggestions public sector workers in a government department are 'playing the system'.

A letter to operations division staff at the Department of Infrastructure says working practices need to be improved, as the department tries to slash ten per cent from its wage costs.

Among the issues raised are poor sickness records and a claim some workers get up to 48 days holiday a year.

However, Angela Moffatt of Prospect is defending workers' pay and conditions and says management needs to look closer to home: