Industrial Report to DET/TAFE delegates

TAFE Institute Managers' Award

DET offered the PSA and Teachers' Federation the 3½ % and 3% wage increases awarded by the IRC to teachers. The unions are claiming the increases granted to School Principals by Ministerial Determination, but DET is not prepared to offer these. At a case conference before Walton J, the unions said that they wish the award to be arbitrated. Dates have been set for the filing of evidence.

The matter was referred to Grayson J for conciliation. This was positive and the matter is set down for further conciliation on 3 September. The unions are cautiously hopeful that DET will agree to pay the 3 and 3½ % increases and that only the additional 7% increases will need to be arbitrated.

Crown Employees Wages Staff (Rates of Pay) Award

There have been further meetings at Labor Council and PEO to advance the unions' claims. The unions agreed that they would amend the claim to 25% over two years, to be consistent with the PSA's Public Sector Salaries award application. The PEO has only offered 3% plus 3% over two years.

The matter has been referred to the President of the IRC.

Demarcation Issues

At a Labor Council meeting on demarcation issues in TAFE, the PSA made it clear that we are the only union respondent to the General Staff Salaries Award. After further discussion the unions agreed that Labor Council should write to the Minister requesting that industrial relations in TAFE should be centralised in DET. The Teachers' Federation, on seeing the proposal asked for another Labor Council meeting to be convened as they had concerns about the proposed letter. After the PSA explained that it was not the intent, nor would it have the effect of, abolishing Institute and College level negotiation and consultation, the Teachers' Federation agreed that Labor Council could write to the Minister.

Meeting with Minister -- 24 August

At the PSA's meeting with the Minister for Education we raised the issue of the timing of the transfer of TAFE employees to the PSEM. The Minister took the view that this would be able to happen in this session of Parliament. He said there was a "need to convince other people" that legislation is needed for the transfer. They are looking at a practical way of doing this.

The issue of dual occupancy positions was raised and the Minister was told of the great disadvantage to PSA members, who are doing the same work as staff in teaching classifications but getting less pay. The PSA was told that Peter Riordan is producing a report on the issue and that it would be rectified "slowly". Legal advice is being sought to see if there are avenues for resolving the issue through the IRC.

PSA representatives told the Minister of the breakdown of consultative processes in the New England restructure. He instructed Peter Riordan to arrange for a meeting of the New England Institute management with the PSA representatives with John Allsopp present. The meeting is to be held in Sydney. Peter Riordan is following up on this but apparently TAFETA have not raised the issue at all.

Joint DET/TAFE Consultative Committee

The Association asked the Director General that the Committee be reconvened with appropriate representation from senior management. The Director General agreed. The PSA said that some of the issues now being dealt with by the State Co-ordinating Team were more appropriately dealt with by a properly constituted JCC, e.g. consideration of job evaluation methodology and examining need for change to the managing displaced employees policy.

RECOMMENDATION:

1. That the PSA write to Peter Riordan requesting that a DET/TAFE JCC be established as soon as possible.
2. That the DET/TAFE Advisory Group nominate representatives to the JCC.

Salary Packaging

After receiving enquiries from members in schools and TAFE, PSA representatives asked the Director General about the progress of salary packaging for DET and TAFE non SES staff. We reminded the DG that this had been in place in other departments for some time. The DG responded that they were "gearing up" and examining the capacity of the department to do this. Further details are to be provided to the PSA.

State Co-ordinating Team

Phase 9 of the restructure has commenced. The timeline from July 2004 is attached to this report. Displaced staff have been allocated case managers each of whom manage 40-50 clients. The PSA is being consulted about any jobs the Department wishes to advertise externally. It is not anticipated that many will go external.

Additional information given to the PSA was:

1. Northern Sydney is to trial a service level agreement. The initial draft of the agreement is to be the subject of consultation.
2. There is to be a review of the procedures for managing displaced employees, but they will remain within the Premiers guidelines. Initial comments are to go to the Department by the end of September.
3. Appeals - Phase 4 - 29 appeals - 6 upheld. Phase 8 - 8 appeals - 2 upheld.
4. Research is being done on a job evaluation agreement.
5. Budgets have not yet been finalised. Availability of SEA relief funds not yet known.
6. Employee service centres are to be ready for schools for the next school year.
7. The salary and SAS staff review team may be moved from Blacktown to Wollongong. There is to be a trial of undertaking payroll functions.
8. There is a TAFE payroll function review. The PSA is to nominate representatives at this AG meeting.
9. The Institute of Teachers has been established. Its essential function is accreditation of teacher qualifications. Staff will be under the PSEM Act.

Sydney Institute

The PSA wrote regarding the job evaluation of Student Administrative Officers. We were told at the Consultative Committee meeting that the Director had not "signed off" on their evaluation at Grade 3/4. Further, we were informed that there would be a "minor" restructure as a number of positions had arrived from Lifelong Learning. We are to have a draft for the September meeting.

Other issues raised were:

• Classification and grading of student records staff at Loftus.
• Security staffing issues.
• mplementation of cash handling at Gymea and Loftus.
• Relocation at East Sydney.

South Western Sydney

The PSA raised the issue of DET's decision in relation to Grade 1/2 Education Officers with Martin Bowles. PSA representatives argued that the positions were the same as the new 3/4 positions advertised and that the Grade 1/2 displaced staff should get priority assessment to be in an even competitive situation with staff who had been graded at 3/4. DET adamantly refused to consider this saying that the jobs were "different". The Institute has advised however that some existing casual positions would be made permanent and could possibly provide opportunities for displaced Grade 1/2 Education Officers.

The disparity in size of faculties is a problem as it appears that the Faculty Administrative Officers in larger faculties will have excessive workloads.

Northern Sydney Institute

The PSA is continuing to meet with CPS's at Ryde and is examining ways of addressing the problem of their long term casual status and failure of the Institute to pay certain shift loadings and a laundry allowance and provide a tea break. Their situation highlights the irregularities in conditions between colleges and Institutes.

Hunter Institute

Negotiations have been taking place to pay on call allowances for GA's who are called back to work over the weekend and have to be available. There appears to be more claimants and more back pay involved than the Association was previously informed of. The PSA is consulting with affected members before lodging a fresh claim.

New England Institute

A consultative meeting on Friday 13th August was finally abandoned as it became clear that the Institute Director has no intention of taking the unions' views and concerns into account, but intends to push forward with the implementation of the restructure. A newsletter has been sent to members in the region and, as reported above, the PSA raised the matter with the Minister. A meeting is to be convened in Sydney by John Allsopp.

Non Order Voucher Accounting System (NOVA)

At a meeting with Ian Gillespie the PSA was informed that Hunter and Western Institutes' Accounts Payable functions went to Bathurst. There are concerns however about loss of jobs at Bathurst under the new system. The PSA was told that the changes there were "not about reducing jobs" and that other functions could be transferred to Bathurst.

Fran Collins - Principal Industrial Officer Overall & TAFE in particular Irene Macbeth - Organiser - TAFE Atosha McCaw - Organiser TAFE Thane Pearce - Industrial Officer - DET Adela Lyle - Organiser - DET Felix Bronneberg - SE Regional Organiser Peter Hood - SW Regional Organiser Michael Fogarty - CW Regional Organiser Peter Szacsvay - NW Regional Organiser Boyd Kellner - NC regional Organiser Neil Wilkins - CC/Hunter Regional Organiser

Email format is initial plus surname (one word) @psa.asn.au eg amccaw@psa.asn.au

Phone - to Sydney based staff via their industrial clerk - 9220 0976

Phone - to regional offices - as per your membership card.

Timeline from July 2004

• Formally declaring them displaced;
• Inviting expressions of interest in voluntary redundancy;
• Requesting information to assist with case management.

Week of 26 July 2004 Information sessions for staff interested in voluntary redundancy.

29 July 2004 Redeployment Registration Form from Displaced and Excess Staff requesting information to assist with case management due.

Week of 9 August 2004 Expressions of Interest in 2nd round of voluntary redundancy close.

Week of 23 August 2004 Offers of voluntary redundancy.

Week of 7 September 2004 Response to voluntary redundancy offers due.

Ongoing Individual case management of displaced staff:

• Matching process;
• Career transition services;
• Job application and interview preparation assistance.

Mid September 2004 Voluntary Redundancy swaps considered.

Ongoing Targeted offers of voluntary redundancy as appropriate including those arising from job swaps