Unions will battle on against Fair Work decision on Tax Office workers Public service unions have vowed to fight against an industrial tribunal decision they said threatens the job security of 25,000 Australian Taxation Office workers. The Fair Work Commission upheld the tax bosses' right to force eight junior employees to re-apply for four positions, with no guarantee of jobs for the losers in the process. The Australian Services Union said the judgment sets a precedent which the Tax Office can use to reduce its workforce, while dodging the requirements of its collective agreement. A Tax Office spokeswoman said the decision is "fair and sensible" and will allow the public service department to manage "excess staff." The Tax Office says four of the eight facilities management workers are unwanted as bureaucrats from five separate locations are moved into one office. The staff members were encouraged to apply for the reduced number of jobs. The union took its fight to the Fair Work Commission, arguing the move was in breach of the Tax Office's obligation to find alternative work for staff deemed to be excess to requirements. A Tax Office spokeswoman said: "The [decision] allows the ATO to manage a situation where there is excess staff so that no staff member is disadvantaged."