There were over 100 matters agreed as part of the PSUWA offer last December that were to be progressed in the New Year. Most are due to be completed by 31 March with others scheduled for completion by 30 June and a few by 31 December. Progress, like the ox, has been slow but steady.
Clauses we’re seeking to finalise:
- Surrogacy leave
- Bereavement and compassionate leave
- Disability leave
- Gender Transition leave
- Recreation leave
- Parental leave
- Grandparent leave
- Foster leave
- Aboriginal Cultural leave
- Kinship relationships
- Market allowance
- Higher duties and more responsible duties
- Improved superannuation benefits
- Minimum hours of engagement
- Electric vehicles
- Removal of overtime caps
- Working compressed hours
- Delegate Training leave
- Revisions to Time off in lieu
- Acting up for less than 5 days
- Foul and nauseous allowance (Parks)
We’ve established reference groups to get feedback from those who pushed for these important changes over the next few weeks. Want to get involved? Get in touch at t.white@tas.cpsu.com.au.
Service Tasmania Review
An initial meeting has been held to discuss proposed changes to the establishment structure at Service Tasmania. Feedback from that meeting will be included in proposed change documents ahead of a meeting with delegates and ST management. A formal change proposal will then be presented to members for feedback.
ST is keen to address the issues members raised in the PSUWA by allocating establishment to a region rather than a shop. This will allow hours to be moved to shops that have staff who want more work much more flexibly. It’s not about transferring staff or working at multiple shops but about better using the available FTE.
Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery (TMAG)
An initial meeting with TMAG and State Growth representatives has been held to discuss our claim to see Visitor Services Officers (VSOs) reclassified to Band 2. It was pleasing to hear that management understood how much they relied on VSOs as the public face of TMAG.
There was general agreement around the issues VSOs face including;
- Lack of recognition for the role performed
- Lack of career progression
- Lack of role clarity/boundaries
- Many rostering challenges
- Challenges with the current acting up/supervision model
- Split between VSO and shop functions
The CPSU will be out talking to members to build the case over the next few weeks and will report back in mid-March.
Reclassification of Library Assistants
One outcome of the PSUWA was a commitment to review the work being performed by Band 1 Library Assistants and, where that work reflected Band 2 responsibilities, to reclassify those staff to Band 2.
DECYP have now agreed to reclassify all Band 1 Library Assistants to Band 2. This is great news and the result of a long campaign by members to see the staff who do this important work recognised.
Disappointingly, DECYP didn’t talk to the CPSU about how this decision is to be implemented and have proposed an unfair transition that would see some miss out. A number of Library Assistants have been doing Band 2 work for a long time and their skills, knowledge and experience should be recognised by appointment above the base of Band 2. We will continue to pursue this and don’t rule out seeking the assistance of the Tasmanian Industrial Commission.
Monitoring and Compliance Unit (MCU) Agreement
Negotiations have commenced for a new MCU Agreement. MCU staff work a 24 hour/ 7 day rolling roster to ensure Tasmanians fitted with electronic monitoring devices comply with orders. They monitor offenders on home detention orders, parolees with electronic monitoring orders, family violence offenders subject to monitoring conditions, and victim-survivors who carry monitoring devices to enhance their personal safety.
Their current Agreement includes detailed shift work arrangements designed to minimise the impact of 24 hour shifts and maximise the predictability of their rosters and the time they have the spend with their families. The changes being sought through a new Agreement will further secure those shift arrangements and ensure this group of workers are rewarded for the critical function they perform.
Changes Proposed to address recruitment and retention issues for Allied Health Professionals
The Tasmanian government has agreed to a range of structural adjustments to the salaries paid to Allied Health Professionals to bring them in line with salaries paid in other states. The aim is to increases salary rates, above and beyond the agreed wage increases, so that by the end of the 3-year life of the Agreement, Tasmanian AHPs will be paid salaries at the mid-point of those paid nationally. This is an important goal because demand for AHPs is high, we only train a small number of fields in Tasmania, and they tend to be a very mobile workforce.
We now have a final offer and are putting together the details our AHP members need to make sure. The CPSU attended a briefing on the changes.
>> If you have any questions, feedback or input about today’s update (or a story you’d like to share), meetings will be held next week. Get in touch at t.white@tas.cpsu.com.au if you’d like to be a part of it.
