The United Services Union, which represents about 700 council staff, sent a flyer to its members on Thursday saying management had "walked away from its commitments, obligations and integrity under the Enterprise Agreement" over the redeployment of IT staff deemed surplus to requirements in a recent departmental review.

"Newcastle City Council attacks and targets your job! Who is next? Do you have confidence in HR and the CEO?" the flyer reads.

"Council has now effectively thrown out long-term members from their workplace without any support under the guise of the 'new redeployment program.'"

The flyer claims an email chain between senior managers shows they have been "deliberately conspiring" not to offer positions to some staff.

The stopwork meeting will take place at No.1 Sportsground on Thursday, five days before staff are due to move into their new office in Newcastle West.

The Newcastle Herald has seen lively correspondence between another council union, the Development and Environmental Professionals Association, and senior managers this month which reveals tensions about parking arrangements in the new building, though a council spokesperson said these issues had been resolved.

USU organiser Luke Hutchinson said next week's stopwork meeting did not relate directly to the office move, but staff were anxious about "unanswered questions" regarding the change.

"The major concern at the moment is we feel the council is systematically walking away from obligations and undertakings resolved before the enterprise agreement, especially in relation to workplace change, consultation and the redeployment program," he said.

"Our members have had enough and they want to get together, and I understand there's a fair bit of heat in this situation.

"From the outdoor-based staff to waste services, they're up in arms about the treatment of some of their fellow workers."

He said the council had hired an external recruitment company to manage the IT restructure and "not even council officers are dealing with their own staff".

The USU had lodged four matters with the NSW Industrial Relations Commission to "resolve these matters and other situations".

The USU flyer said several long-term members affected by the IT restructure had been "treated appallingly".

"As of Monday, 30/9/19 three members will be directed to 'stay at home' - with two already going through the embarrassing ordeal of not being welcome in their workplace.

"Their 'case manager' - from an external firm - will contact them some time? No structure, timeframes, engagement or plans have been resolved as per the Enterprise Agreement."

Mr Hutchinson said the union was concerned that departmental reviews would target "individuals and not positions".

"What is also abundantly clear is the target is firmly on all current Newcastle City Council employees," the union flyer says.

"Who is next?!! Beach lifeguards? Workshop?? Waste services? Payroll? Where does it stop! Is your job next??"

A council spokesperson said the council and union had formally agreed last year to end a "long-standing" practice of paying staff to sit in a deployment pool for 12 months.

"This program was an abject failure in terms of finding staff work, and equally a waste of ratepayers' money," the spokesperson said in a written statement.

"The USU is now objecting to three affected staff being told they are not required to come to the office.

"Claims that these employees have been locked out are untrue. They retain their staff-issued property, including building security pass, corporate email account, laptop, etc.

"They are also welcome to continue to attend staff events while ever they remain an employee."

The three employees would "for several weeks" receive paid help from a workplace specialist to help them find a new job.

"This is in addition to support from a financial planner and ongoing access to our employee assistance program.

"It is impractical and counter-productive for these staff to remain in the workplace to undertake this training and assistance.

"The union this week took the matter to the IRC, where both parties were encouraged to meet.

"We have repeatedly attempted to do this, via phone, text and email, so far without success."

Mr Hutchinson said the union was happy to "sit down" with management and work through the issues.

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