O'Farrell to slash benefits for 80,000 workers

In what i feel to be already tough times for us workers its nice to know the State Premier of NSW cares so much about removing even more benefits from workers in the State.

AT LEAST 80,000 NSW public sector workers are set to lose salary benefits and conditions under sweeping cuts to their awards.

The O'Farrell government yesterday confirmed it had applied to the NSW Industrial Commission this week to change 98 awards for public sector workers, including 1000 nurses who assist people with disabilities and those in aged-care facilities.

Clerical staff, librarians, parks and gardens staff, school administration assistants, regulatory inspectors and legal officers are also among those set to lose their entitlement to long-held conditions, including an annual leave loading of 17.5 per cent.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/ofarrell-to-slash-benefits-for-80000-workers-20120828-24yvq.html#ixzz24u3hJxAe

To PSA members,

The PSA Executive today authorised a stop work meeting of members to brief members on the attacks on wages, jobs and conditions by the O’Farrell Government, on what the PSA is doing and what more we plan to do.

Since coming to office the Government has:

·         Imposed a cap on pay rises, including passing legislation limiting the role of the industrial umpire, NSW Industrial Relations Commission. This latter part has been challenged in the High Court by the PSA. The hearing is on September 5.

·         Ordered agencies to cut jobs – 5,000 were ordered in their first budget, and 10,000 jobs in the latest budget (based on a 1.2% cut in labour costs). Cuts across the service are being announced on a regular drip-feed of information.

·         Lodged a claim in the NSW Industrial Relations Commission to cut conditions and allowances, some of which will affect all members and others will unfairly impact on groups of members. (see PSA website at http://www.psa.labor.net.au)

·         And today they have told the PSA and the Commission that they will be lodging awards to strip another hundred public sector conditions awards. This will include awards covering other unions as well as the other PSA conditions awards.

We have resisted each attack as it arose and we now want to step up our efforts.

The authorised stop work on October 8 will be from 9.00 am to 1.00 pm, and for longer where travel time necessitates.

The main meeting will be at Sydney Town Hall, in the lower town hall, and the address from officials will be webcast to 30-40 other meeting venues around the state.

Members who attend these meetings will be able to vote on a resolution concerning future actions designed to protect jobs, conditions and wage-setting practices.

The PSA Executive has authorised all members covered by State Awards and Agreements to stop work on October 8 and attend a stop work meeting. (Members covered by the federal industrial system are invited but are not being directed to stop work.)

John Cahill

General Secretary

Sue Walsh

President

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Update your membership details: http://www.psa.labor.net.au/join/address_change.html

Ask non-member colleagues to join the PSA/CPSU - Online at https://membership.psa.asn.au  

To switch to direct payment of PSA/CPSU - Online at https://membership.psa.asn.au  or ring 9220 0900 or 1800 467 932 for more info.

To unsubscribe from PSA/CPSU News list, reply to psanews@psa.asn.au  with the word UNSUBSCRIBE in the subject line.

Public Service Association of NSW &

Community & Public Sector Union

160 Clarence St, Sydney

GPO Box 3365 Sydney 2001

9220 0900 or 1800 467 932

psa@psa.asn.au

http://www.psa.labor.net.au

MEMBERS & DELEGATES TRAINING (FULL)

MEMBERS & DELEGATES TRAINING at PSA House, 160 Clarence St, Sydney (near Town Hall Station)

Fri	Aug	10	Negotiation Skills
Fri	Aug	24	Work Health Safety & Injury Management
Tues	Aug	28	Dealing with Bullying in the Workplace
Mon-Tues	Sept	03-04	Role of the Delegate
Fri	Sept	21	Meeting Skills
Tues	Oct	09	Dealing with Bullying in the Workplace
Tues	Oct	23	Work Health Safety & Injury Management
Mon-Tues	Oct	22-23	Women in the Union
Fri	Oct	26	Negotiation Skills

These courses are free of charge for our members. Certificates of attendance and completion are issued to participants.
All participants are responsible for their own accommodation and travel expenses.
Attached is the application form and a short description sheet. 

CPSU Welcome New UTS Staff

Dear Colleagues

Max, Patrick, and Mark

Attended the VC’s Welcome to New Staff  on Wednesday 25 July 2012.

Hopefully some of these new staff will take up the opportunity to join the CPSU.

Thanks for the invite Liz Hurley.

Thank you UTS CPSU Delegates

CPSU members at a protest rally in Sydney, in 2005 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Did you receive your incremental progression?

UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY, SYDNEY

SUPPORT STAFF AGREEMENT 

2010:

"21.5 Progression to a higher level shall be available only when the staff member‟s supervisor
certifies that:
(a) the competency requirements for progression established for the occupational group
and/or work unit are satisfied by the incumbent
(b) that the quality of work performed by the staff member is consistent with work
required of the higher level and the position description, and
(c) there is work consistently available at the higher level.
21.6 Where progression to a higher level is not approved the affected staff member will be
provided with written feedback by the supervisor, including the reason why progression is not
approved."

A short thank you from a member who was acting on behalf of themselves and their work area staff to ensure they all received their incremental progression. 

"Dear Delegates and Industrial staff,

Thank you for all your hard work – it is much appreciated.

It looks like this is a total victory for CPSU.

At around 10:30am, the Manager called a meeting and advised everyone about the fact that University was going to fix the incremental issue which affected most --- staff and some --- staff.

---- said that --- should’ve advised everyone earlier, but he had been trying to get HR to fix the problem all along (!)

-- said -- will make sure that no one will be disadvantaged and all the affected staff including those in other parts of --- will get their increment sorted.

I could see that the Manager wanted to save the University’s and his face and made it seem that it was not because of the CPSU pressure that they are now fixing the problem.

I told the Manager in front of everyone that the whole thing was very poorly handled and that the University had breached the Enterprise Agreement by reversing my increment without consultation

and that there should’ve been more communication.

And I asked when the problem will be fixed now. Looks like it will be fixed for next pay.

Will keep you updated once the matter is finalised.

In the meantime, I’ve spoken to more staff in ---- about what CPSU can do for them. It’s a slow process, but the CPSU influence is spreading.

Thanks again and well done to CPSU!"

Detailed Changes to Workers Compensation from Unions NSW

Changes to workers compensation Bulletin

Workers compensation bulletin

Some good news for Universities

Volume One 2012 - NSW universities in surplus

Auditor-General's Report to Parliament

30 May 2012

The NSW Auditor-General, Mr Peter Achterstraat, today reported that all ten NSW universities achieved operating surpluses in 2011, with the University of NSW achieving the highest surplus of $88.9 million followed by the University of Sydney with $88.5million.

“In 2010, only eight universities achieved surpluses, so I am pleased to see a surplus for all ten universities in NSW,” said Mr Achterstraat. “There has also been an improvement in the achievement of government financial performance benchmarks. Four NSW universities achieved all four benchmarks, compared to two last year.”

The Auditor-General noted that universities continue to face funding challenges for employee long service leave and annual leave obligations. Universities had long service leave obligations of $571 million, an increase of 23 per cent on last year.

“While most universities are reducing excess annual leave balances, managing leave is a continual challenge,” said Mr Achterstraat. “High levels of unused leave are a red flag for any organisation raising both financial and work, health and safety risks,” he said.

Mr Achterstraat also highlighted the impact of an ageing workforce on universities’ cash balances in the future.

“The increasing demand for funds to payout the entitlements of an aging workforce creates liquidity risks for the universities,” he said.

The Auditor-General’s Volume 2, 2012, reports on the audits of all ten NSW universities’ 2011 financial statements.

Further information

Emily Watson, on 02 9275 7408 or 0425 329 363 and emailemily.watson@audit.nsw.gov.au

Download full report

Download full media release

See also http://www.audit.nsw.gov.au/Publications/Financial-Audit-Reports/2012-Reports/Volume-Two-2012/Volume-Two-2012-focusing-on-Universities

And http://www.audit.nsw.gov.au/ArticleDocuments/238/13_Volume_Two_2012_University_Technology_Sydney.pdf.aspx?Embed=Y