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Excerpts from: Government bans smokos

AAP Sunday Times [02/05/02]

SMOKERS in Tasmania's public service will be required to clock in and out when they leave the office for a smoko, as part of an anti-smoking agreement signed with unions.

The ban on smoking in work hours will begin on March 26.

Workers will not be docked pay but will be required to make up time for every minute spent outside smoking.

The deal, a national first, is part of a state service wage agreement negotiated last year which gave public servants a nine per cent wage rise over two years.

The award does not cover teachers, nurses, police or government ministers.

Under a draft document released last month departments will have to make their own arrangements as to how the ban will be policed and how workers will make up for the time spent on smoko.

Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU) Tasmanian secretary Sue Strugnell said unions were unsure how the bans would be supervised.

A government spokeswoman was seeking details relating to the ban.