Union blasts new social media rules

Federal public servants are challenging a new social media policy that asks them to dob in colleagues who make unauthorised use of sites such as Facebook and Twitter.

The Community and Public Sector Union has lodged an official industrial dispute with the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet over the policy, which has caused concern across the bureaucracy.

"If an employee becomes aware of another employee who is engaging in conduct that may breach this policy there is an expectation that the employee will report the conduct to the department," the policy says.

The unions says the policy is unacceptable.

"Encouraging people to dob in a workmate is a new and nasty feature and one that we think is entirely unnecessary to police the use of social media by public servants," CPSU National Secretary Nadine Flood said.

"Forcing people to spy on their colleagues is incredibly divisive and will only sow the seeds of mistrust in the workforce."

The union says the department breached its enterprise agreement by failing to consult with staff over the changes.