OCTOBER–DECEMBER 2018 POLL POSITIONS STATE ELECTION 2019 PUBLIC SERVICE ASSOCIATION POST OFFICE APPROVED OF NSW/CPSU NSW PP 255003/01563 ISSN 1030-0740 Profits that go to members, not shareholders. The right support and advice to help you FIRST STATE SUPER AD feel future ready 1300 650 873 Consider our PDS before making a decision. FSS Trustee Corporation ABN 11 118 202 672, AFSL 293340, trustee of the First State Superannuation Scheme ABN 53 226 460 365. FSS0020_TheVolunteer_Magenta_297x210mm_v5.indd 1 29/3/18 5:24 pm OCTOBER–DECEMBER 2018 CONTENTS News 04 PSA on the airwaves From the General Secretary Profits that go to members, 08 Adelaide sends us a warning President’s message not shareholders. 10 Women at work The right support and From the Assistant General Secretary 12 A change to the rules our union needs advice to help you Wins 13 Victories for PSA and CPSU NSW members 11 Schools need us 18 Education depends on our members Recognition Week 20 Highlights from schools Fight for your right 21 Protest is under threat Rebuild our TAFE 22 How to destroy a vocational system Taxing times 24 Australia gets short-changed Follow the money 25 Chasing privatisation’s winners 28 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 feel future ready 1300 650 873 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. Consider our PDS before making a decision. FSS Trustee Corporation ABN 11 118 202 672, AFSL 293340, trustee of the First State Superannuation Scheme ABN 53 226 460 365. FSS0020_TheVolunteer_Magenta_297x210mm_v5.indd 1 29/3/18 5:24 pm NEWS UNION TELLS ODPP TO REDUCE THE LOAD STAFF at the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions are suffering under unmanageable workloads, the PSA has found. In many offices, solicitors have more than 28 cases. This is in direct breach of a prevailing workload management agreement between the ODPP and the PSA. The agreement states the average should be 25 for people in the city, with a maximum of 28, and an average of 20 for those in the country with a maximum of 22. The PSA has directed any members with more than the maximum caseload to refuse further cases. “The workload agreement is a protection PSA STANDS UP TO for employees,” says PSA Industrial Officer, Monika Wunderlin. “PSA members have SHERIFF’S OFFICE AS IT INKS fought hard for the agreement, and it’s very disheartening to see that management is ignoring it.” DIRECTIVE ON TATTOOS Ms Wunderlin says she understands that members may feel pressured to take on THE PSA is fighting a directive from the managed to secure several deferments the extra caseload, but there is a risk this Sheriff’s Office to force its staff to cover to ensure staff were surveyed. will adversely affect their health, work/life up tattoos. “Far from being a fringe issue, this balance, their productivity, and their capacity In a memo, the Sheriff of NSW, Tracey directive will affect an increasing number to complete cases to the best of their ability. Hall, said it “is in the organisation’s best of staff,” says PSA Industrial Officer, interests to enforce” a policy instructing Andrew Boulton. staff to cover body art with long-sleeve The National Health and Medical shirts or skin-coloured, roll-on sheaths. Research Council found six years ago that The PSA has previously complained one in seven Australian adults had a tattoo, to the Sheriff that the union was not with an upward trend in the percentage of consulted over the directive, and has people going under the needle. LEGAL AID TRIES TO IMPOSE CORRECTIONAL OPEN PLAN A SECOND TIME OFFICERS STUMP HAVING LOST its bid to impose open plan The PSA opposes open plan offices, UP CASH FOR arrangements on its staff in Parramatta, citing research that they are detrimental to FARMERS Legal Aid has turned its sights onto the employee health and the ability of staff to Haymarket office. work effectively. A CRICKET match between Officers Without any consultation, the organisation “Open plan offices have been found to from the Mid North Coast Correctional has decided to put staff in the Grants decrease productivity, decrease face-to-face Centre and Grafton Gaol has raised Division into open plan. A similar plan for the contact and increase stress, chronic illness, more than $1000 for the Buy a Bale Parramatta office was knocked back when and mental health issues,” says Ms Wunderlin. campaign to assist drought-affected the PSA lodged a dispute in the Industrial “Despite the overwhelming evidence, Legal rural communities. Relations Commission. Aid still think open plan offices are a good POVB representatives Jason “If open plan was no good for idea. This is remarkable considering the high Charlton and David McCauley joined Parramatta, I fail to see why it will work levels of stress and dissatisfaction in the the Grafton side, which were the in Haymarket,” says PSA Industrial Officer, Grants Division as documented in the People eventual winners. Monika Wunderlin. Matter survey results.” 4 | RED TAPE October-December 2018 NEWS HADLEY HIGHLIGHTS ‘BIZARRE’ BROADSPECTRUM CALL PSA ASSISTANT General Secretary Troy Wright went on the airwaves to highlight what he called the “bizarre decision” to award the running of Parklea prison to outsourcing company Broadspectrum. Describing Broadspectrum as “the least-qualified operator” on the shortlist of three candidates, Mr Wright told 2GB broadcaster Ray Hadley that Corrections Minister David Elliott had not even bothered to wait for the result of a Parliamentary Inquiry into the facility’s mismanagement before signing a contract. Mr Hadley agreed with Mr Wright that the Minister’s decision not to invite the public operator, Corrections NSW, to tender for the job over the recruitment of staff was mystifying. “It is a ridiculous argument that the public sector can’t find staff and the private sector could,” said Mr Wright. The PSA Assistant General Secretary went on to say the “prison system is bulging at the seams”, with a record number of inmates, a higher proportion of whom have mental and substance-abuse issues. In 2009, the PSA fought valiantly to keep Parklea in public hands. Nearly a decade later the facility is still operated by a private company, with outsourcers Broadspectrum next in line thanks to a secretive bidding process that locked out public operators from the tender. SCU Personal Loans Making dreams come true since 1963. % % 7.99 pa 1 7.99 pa 2 Variable Interest Rate Comparison Rate 1 Unsecured personal loan rate available between 30.07.2018 - 31.10.2018 on a term of up to 7 years. Not available for debt consolidation loans or refinance of existing SCU loans. 2 Comparison rate based on a $30,000 loan over 5 years unsecured. Warning: This comparison rate is true only for the example given and does not include redraw fees. Different terms, fees and other loan amounts might result in a different comparison rate. All applications are subject to SCU normalOctober-December lending criteria. Redraw 2018fees, terms RED and TAPE | 5 conditions apply. Full details available on application. All information is correct as at 14.08.2018 and subject to change.© Sydney Credit Union Limited | ABN 93 087 650 726 | Australian Credit Licence Number 236476 | AFSL 236476 | BSB 802 084 | Trading as SCU. NEWS MCMANUS PUSHES FOR MORE WORK ON THE CENTRAL COAST ALL ABOARD ON THE evening of Tuesday 31 July, more than 200 unionists and community members, including representatives of the AS UNIONS PSA and CPSU NSW, met at Central Coast Leagues Club to launch the Change the THE CENTRAL COAST HIT SYDNEY Rules Campaign in the marginal seat of HAS BEEN HIT HARD Robertson. STATIONS Also present at the launch was ACTU BY CUTS TO SCHOOLS Secretary Sally McManus, who celebrated AND TAFE, HOSPITALS, THE PERILOUS STATE of the NSW TAFE her birthday surrounded by fellow unionists. PUBLIC TRANSPORT AND system was on commuters’ minds In the weeks prior to the launch, COMMUNITY AND SUPPORT thanks to PSA and CPSU NSW staff, organisers Caroline Staples, Gino Di Candilo SERVICES members and supporters handing out and Ian Braithwaite, participated in a Union flyers at stations throughout Sydney. NSW planning and training day to identify • The spread of insecure and casual work Commuters were handed flyers issues and generate turnout. • The effect of cuts to penalty rates on pointing out the State Government The Central Coast has been hit hard family budgets has gutted the TAFE system, diverting by cuts to schools and TAFE, hospitals, • Fewer student places in local TAFEs, funding to fly-by-night colleges and public transport and community and schools and universities denying countless young people a support services. • Wages that don’t keep up with cost of career. The shift of many industries offshore living increases “It is important to get our message and mechanisation has cut local job • Restrictions on workers’ right to bargain across to voters through the state that opportunities. and take industrial action in support of the TAFE system is in a perilous state, Youth unemployment is above the their claims thanks to budget cuts and diversion of national average and Central Coast • The rampant use of contractors and funding to private colleges offering inferior residents are often forced into arduous consultants in the public sector.