The NT government is being accused of underpaying over 2,000 shift workers.

These employees, serving across NT Health, Corrections, Territory Families, and other departments, are allegedly receiving pay for 36.75 hours per week, despite being rostered to work 38 hours, according to the Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU). 

The CPSU's Northern Territory secretary, David Villegas, says the issue dates back at least three to four years when it was initially raised during enterprise bargaining talks.

“That equates to just about 60 hours a year per worker who are being underpaid as a result of this issue,” he said. 

Mr Villegas pointed out that these underpaid workers, predominantly in frontline positions in Territory Families and the Department of Health, face challenging conditions. 

While the CPSU says it aims to resolve the matter through negotiations, a breakdown in communication with the government in recent months has led to an official dispute lodged with the NT Office of the Commissioner of Public Employment. 

In response to the allegations, Public Employment Minister Paul Kirby stressed that the government had not identified any substantial underpayments during the ongoing review of shift work conducted by the Office of the Commissioner of Public Employment. 

He reiterated that the situation was being thoroughly examined, and the government was awaiting the review's findings.