Guardianship Division (NCAT) Members’ Meeting Report

Guardianship Division (NCAT) Bulletin – 28 October 2014 (PDF version)

Guardianship Division, NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT) Members’ Meeting Report – 21 October 2014

Your union, the PSA, conducted a members’ meeting at the Guardianship Division, NCAT at Balmain on Tuesday, 21 October 2014.

The meeting was well attended and members took the opportunity to hear about the benefits of PSA membership, the establishment of the union’s Members Support Centre (MSC) and the information available on the PSA’s website.

Members were also advised of the Anti ADHC Privatisation Rally on 13 November 2013 and the background to that Rally.

Issues

The meeting identified the following issues:

• Proposed changes to flex time arrangements. The PSA is involved in negotiations for a common flexible working hours agreement for all staff working in the various Divisions of NCAT – finalisation of the agreement is proposed by the end of the year. It was identified at the meeting that the current flex time arrangements are more generous than those in operation in other areas.
• Excessive workloads. Staff working more hours than can be used towards flex time.
• Implications of GSE Act on temporary employees.

Where to now?

Members agreed that they would benefit from regular “in house” meetings and will set regular meetings (every two months) with the first meeting to be held in early December 2014. Members will identify issues and, in the first instance, endeavour to resolve any issues locally.

Members expressed an interest in setting up an advisory group with representation from all the NCAT Divisions, with the advisory group being represented on the Justice Department DC. The PSA will identify all NCAT sites and arrange meetings at those sites in the near future.

Members will assist with mapping the new NCAT sites – a lot of changes have occurred with worksite locations, departmental responsibility and the movement of staff.

As agreed, the PSA will arrange a members’ meeting at Balmain in February 2015.

In the meantime members will set up regular “in house” meetings (every two months), with the first meeting to be held in December.