JANUARY–MARCH 2019 D REBUIL TAFE The fight for vocational Caring for mental Domestic violence education health at work leave victory PUBLIC SERVICE ASSOCIATION POST OFFICE APPROVED OF NSW/CPSU NSW PP 255003/01563 ISSN 1030-0740 A NEW HEALTH FUND THAT’S BACKED BY ONE OF AUSTRALIA’S MOST TRUSTED FUNDS. WE’RE ALL FOR IT. If you’re a union member, you deserve a health fund that strives for fair. One that looks after its members. One you can trust to protect your health long into the future. One like Union Health. Union Health is here to serve all union members. And it’s brought to you by TUH Health Fund, which was ranked first by members for trustworthiness, satisfaction, loyalty and likelihood to recommend in the latest nationwide Ipsos survey of health funds. ARE YOU FOR A FAIRER HEALTH FUND? Join today and get your second month free!* Visit unionhealth.com.au to find out more. Brought to you by TUH, the health fund members trust. *Terms and conditions apply JANUARY–MARCH 2019 CONTENTS News 04 The fight for our National Parks From the General Secretary 08 Message from Melbourne President’s message 10 Working in male-dominated workplaces From the Assistant General Secretary 12 Fighting for those with disability Wins 14 Victories for PSA and CPSU NSW members 16 The battle for TAFE 18 The destruction of vocational training Mental Health Conference 22 Keeping our members safe Dubbo Central Council 25 The bush takes centre stage Women at Work 26 Highlights from WIMDOI WHS 30 A safer workplace is a better workplace Tea Break 33 News from members 22 Managing Editor Stewart Little, General Secretary PSA Head Office Issue Editor Jason Mountney A 160 Clarence Street, Sydney NSW GPO Box 3365, Sydney NSW 2001 Art Direction Mine Konakci T 1300 772 679 F (02) 9262 1623 Printers Spotpress, (02) 9549 1111 W www.psa.asn.au | www.cpsunsw.org.au www.spotpress.com.au E [email protected] | [email protected] Enquiries PSA Communications Unit, 1300 772 679 All members of CPSU NSW are also members of the Public Service Association. Membership T 1300 772 679 E [email protected] The PSA is the associated body that manages and resources CPSU NSW. NEWS PSA ON THE FRONT FOOT IN POWERHOUSE FIGHT THE PSA has publicised its campaign to keep the Powerhouse Museum in Ultimo. DELEGATES GIVE SHARPE Industrial Officer Kerrie Butson was quoted in a Sydney Morning Herald article about the neglect of the facility, which has resulted in THE BLUNT TRUTH: NPWS one valuable exhibit, the world’s oldest steam engine, no longer working. IS IN TROUBLE “The museum’s facilities are all fit for purpose,” Ms Butson was quoted as saying, “though staff need to be employed by LABOR’S SHADOW Environment Minister, “If this is the case, it will be a welcome the Powerhouse Museum to continue the Penny Sharpe, visited the PSA to hear development,” says PSA Industrial Manager maintenance program on a regular basis rather concerns from members in the National Nathan Bradshaw. “The current cuts to than knee-jerk reactions to urgent issues.” Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS). experienced staff have seen the NPWS Staff at the Powerhouse unanimously voted The MP, who several days later was lose thousands of years of experience to retain the Ultimo site and to open a related appointed her party’s deputy leader, said and skills.” cultural institution in Parramatta. the “NPWS is what Labor governments do”. Ms Sharpe heard how cuts to senior staff The Berejiklian Government plans to She said if Labor is elected, the loss had affected bushfire control, feral animal turn the Ultimo site into flats and says it will of experienced staff under the present management and weed programs. The eventually open a replacement in Parramatta. administration will be stopped. decline of park maintenance also put at risk At the most recent members’ meeting, “We need people with specialist tourism industries in small communities. members expressed disappointment with understanding and knowledge,” she told Delegates told Ms Sharpe that the results of the most recent People Matter a meeting of Delegates. “We aspire for the outsourced recruitment had failed, Survey. Notably, members were disappointed NPWS to be one of the best in the world. presenting the service with unqualified with the high rate of bullying at the Museum “We have to fix the mess.” candidates for job vacancies. and 16 per cent approval of the grievance dispute process. PSA CHECKS OUT STATE LIBRARY A SAUSAGE sizzle on the balcony gave members at the State Library the chance to talk about their conditions – and non-members the chance to join their union. Delegates wowed members – and PSA staff – with their own salads to accompany the sausages cooked by Organisers. PSA Organiser Davis Murphy says having events in an informal barbeque setting gives members the chance to relax and talk at ease to union staff. “The PSA is helping to manage members’ workloads,” says Mr Murphy. “Large events such as exhibitions are creating a lot of work for the current staffing levels. “We are also ensuring members know their rights when called in for meetings and over issues such as grievances.” 4 | RED TAPE January-March 2019 NEWS JUVENILE JUSTICE DISPUTE AGENCY STAFF CONTINUES INTAKE SPARKS THE PSA HAS written to the Minister for Corrections, David Elliott, demanding more be done to protect staff and JUSTICE ACTION inmates from dangerous detainees in the system. “We need to take dangerous detainees out of the general WHEN THE Department of Justice started hiring agency staff rather population and place them into dedicated specialist units in than employing Court or Sound Reporters, the PSA took action. the Cobham and Frank Baxter,” says Senior Industrial Officer “The Department of Justice advised at the recent Joint with the PSA, Julie Bond. “We are not looking to lock kids Consultative Committee that it would not be employing Court away in confinement for an extended period of time and or Sound Reporters to work in courts allocated to the newly they would still be given access to education, health care appointed District Court Judges but would be engaging Agency and, if required, deradicalisation programs. However, the Contractors instead,” says Senior Industrial Officer Julie Bond. one-size-fits-all approach is not working. Some detainees “The Department of Justice clearly does not value the skill and need tighter security. expertise our members provide to the justice system.” “Surely the Government has an obligation to recognise the risk Ms Bond says the PSA has issued a directive that “Court and Sound our members face and provide us a safer working environment.” Reporters not cover courts assigned to agency contractors”. The PSA believes the closure of the Kariong Centre has left a void in the care of high-risk detainees. CLARITY NEEDED FOR WORK BEHIND BARS THE PRISON OFFICERS Vocational Branch (POVB) is calling for more clarity over the permissible use of force in the state’s prisons. “Using force is a requirement of the role,” says PSA Industrial Officer David McCauley. “But there is a chance our members will face investigations, be suspended from duty, or terminated while aiding in maintaining the good order of a correctional centre. Surely there needs to be better understanding from Corrective Services NSW.” | | The lack of clarity adds to the stress Corrective Officers | | face under the Berejiklian Government’s benchmarking program. The program, which the PSA believes to be a backdoor plan for more private-run prisons, has led to job losses and reduced ratios of staff to inmates. “What we have seen in Parklea should be a warning that outsourcing Corrective Services is not in the best interests of the state,” says Mr Cole. January-March 2019 RED TAPE | 5 NEWS 2GB BROADCASTS THE WRIGHT MESSAGE OVER DISABILITY SERVICES PSA ASSISTANT General Secretary, Troy Wright, made a demand for a government- SCHOOL CHANGES AHEAD run service for people with disability on THE DEPARTMENT of Education has commercial radio network 2GB. let a contract to Ernst and Young Interviewed in front of a live audience (EY) to undertake the Professional by Ben Fordham, Mr Wright informed NSW IS THE ONLY STATE Learning Review. the station’s listeners that NSW is the OR TERRITORY WHERE EY has conducted focus groups and only state or territory in Australia where THE GOVERNMENT HAS interviewed staff at more than 200 the government had absolved itself of ABSOLVED ITSELF OF ALL schools. The PSA has encouraged our all responsibility for some of the most RESPONSIBILITY FOR SOME members to be involved in this review. vulnerable people in society. OF THE MOST VULNERABLE Members of the Schools Departmental “Before the implementation of the NDIS, PEOPLE IN SOCIETY Committee Executive took part in an people with disability were cared for in a interview on 3 October 2018. mixture of non-government providers and The recommendations for change put a large proportion – 40-odd per cent – were young man with severe disability, was also forward by the PSA included: cared for in government-provided housing interviewed. He talked about the difficulties • update the professional learning and accommodation through ADHC,” said his family faces as the government refuses policy to balance reference to Mr Wright. to guarantee funding for vital equipment teaching and non-teaching staff, and He said NSW used the NDIS as an such as breathing tubes. to distinguish between mandatory opportunity to move out of the disability Mr Fordham was scathing about the and non-mandatory learning support sector and contract out group Minister for Disability Ray Williams’s • a central repository of training homes to private operators.