A new way for the PSA

The PSA is in the process of reorganising and refocusing its resources to provide an enhanced service to members, shift the union in a more member and regionally focused direction and position it as a powerful advocate for the NSW public sector.

The mood and attitude of Government has changed and we must follow suit in order to be effective.

Achieving justice and equity through our industrial courts is no longer the relatively straight forward proposition it once was.

On many occasions in recent times the O’Farrell Government has simply moved to change the law if it disagrees with a decision of the Industrial Relations Commission.

In the meantime, Government spin is cleverly disguising its endless wave of job and service cuts.

For example, the introduction of the NDIS in NSW is being used to implement mass privatisation in Ageing and Disability Care.

Elsewhere, the idea of increasing local decision making in schools is in fact a wedge to deliver record budget and job cuts to public education along with the casualisation of staff in our schools.

While the PSA has been battling this in the media with some success, the fact is we are facing a strong Government with an enormous arsenal at its disposal.

To assist us to properly fight back, the PSA needs to refocus its resources and increase capacity to influence the policy and agenda not just of the O’Farrell Government but other political parties.

PSA Member Support Centre 1300 772 679

The PSA’s Member Support Centre (MSC), the union’s call facility, goes live on Monday, 3 March, 2014.

It is your direct line to the PSA if you require expert advice and support on a work related matter.

The MSC will ensure all phone calls to the PSA are promptly dealt with and the advice provided is consistent.

Staff on the MSC have been specially trained in industrial issues with state of the art technical support and expert backup to enable matters to be professionally dealt with on the spot, and others redirected where necessary.

By moving to an MSC, the PSA will join the many Australian unions that over recent years have successfully introduced support centres to enhance the assistance and service provided to members.

The MSC does not replace delegates or the vital role they perform.

Instead, it provides an added layer of support, assistance and information.

Members can still choose to go directly to their delegate and delegates will continue to maintain a strong relationship with their Organiser and Industrial Advocate.

The Organising & Campaigning Directorate

The Campaigning and Organising Directorate will strongly focus on ensuring that – through collective strength – the voices of PSA members are heard loud and clear by Government.

That means it will be all about building and harnessing the power of the PSA to allow us to secure positive industrial outcomes that not only maintain wages, conditions and protections but wherever possible increase them.

The Directorate’s mission includes reaching out to and securing support from community groups and the millions of people across NSW who rely upon public services each and every day.

This will be achieved in the traditional manner of increasing our membership and thus heightening our capacity to negotiate with the Government as well as empowering members in the workplace with structures that allow for more effective and proactive campaigning to defend jobs and workplace rights.

The Industrial Directorate

Over the years the PSA has consistently had a crack team of industrial staff on hand that have not only fought and won the good fight for members but have also secured numerous historic wins such landmark victories on equal pay and leave for those experiencing domestic violence.

The Industrial Directorate will harness this collective skill and provide expert industrial advocacy focused on enhancing and protecting wages, conditions and rights in addition to case management.

The Strategy and Policy Directorate

The work of the Industrial Directorate will be supported by the extensive research and analytic capacity of the Strategy and Policy Directorate.

This hand in glove approach will ensure that the negotiations and cases we run on issues such as injury management, restructuring, privatisation, work, health and safety, pay and conditions and equity issues are underpinned by sound analysis of relevant data, trends and research.

It will also allow us to confidently run our arguments in the media, the community, the courts and the political arena.

Having facts and up to the minute statistics on hand is a powerful way to cut through the spin of Government and instead, promote the real story.

We will be able to strongly counter such O’Farrell Government falsehoods that they are improving “front line” services and highlight the real impact of job and budget cuts on local communities.

This information will also be provided to our elected officials, industrial advocates and organisers to set and pursue our own agenda not simply respond to that of Government.

Communications Unit

The proposed structure of the Communications Directorate will increase the quality of the PSA’s communications and heighten our capacity to broadcast our position to members, the media and the community through a variety of mediums.

Of course we will continue to produce the PSA’s journal, Red Tape but there will also be a greater focus on digital media.