The Fair Work Commission has buried a Federal Government plan to have public sector employees work longer hours.

The Government was pushing for the standard public servants’ work week to be increased from 36.75 hours to 38 hours.

“Ordinary weekly hours of work are recognised by the National Employment Standards [NES] as 38... of the 122 modern awards, only nine have hours less than 38,” the Minister for Employment (which now includes the public service) Eric Abetz, had argued.

Abetz also tried to increase the time span deemed “ordinary hours” from 8.00am - 6.30pm to 7.00am - 7.00pm.

“The proposed span of hours would promote flexibility and the efficient and productive performance of work,” the Minister said in a submission to the Fair Work Commission.

“The span of hours in the APS Award 1998 no longer represents an industry standard.”

The Community and Public Sector Union opposed the push.

“A 36.75 hour week for relevant employees has been in the Australian Public Service since 1921,” its submission said.

“It is a well established and existing condition.”

The CPSU lost its bid to have the public sector's superannuation rate included in the new award.

The Commission rejected all proposed changes, keeping the current system in place.

“We see no reason to depart from that which has applied for over 90 years,” the Commission found.

But it hinted that changes could be possible in the future.

“This is not a ruling on the appropriateness of the current hours but to change those hours a proper case would need to be undertaken,” the Commission found.