National Parks and Wildlife Service bulletin - Public Service Association

National Parks and Wildlife Service bulletin

National Parks and Wildlife Service bulletin – December 2017 (PDF version)

Yesterday, the PSA met with OEH Chief Executive Anthony Lean, Executive Director Parks Program Michael Wright and Director Employee Relations Tony O’Donnell, in order to progress matters raised with the Minister for the Environment Gabrielle Upton last week.

As a result of these discussions, the PSA was able to achieve:

  • Recruitment – A commitment recruitment going forward would be implemented in a cascading manner, that is from top down. There would also be sufficient time in between the applications and appointments in one grade/classification, before applications open for the following grades/classifications. This will result in affected staff knowing if they have been successful or not in one application before being required to make a decision on other jobs.
  • Salary maintenance – The PSA has been advocating that in situations where an employee accepts a role with lower remuneration with their consent they are entitled to three months’ salary maintenance. OEH committed to a process where if an employee instigates a placement to a lower remunerated position, and that person is successful in being placed in that role, the person will not start in that role for three months, effectively paying them three months’ salary maintenance. The PSA awaits further details and confirmation in writing of these salary matching principles.

In regards to the SFS 3 role, OEH have refused to acknowledge that affected staff other than SFS, FS and SFO should have the opportunity to apply for the newly created SFS 3 role. While the Government Sector Employment Act, Rules, Regulations and other associated policies do not allow for the agency to pick and choose individual classifications of staff that they will limit promotional opportunities to, OEH would rather honour a “deal” with the AWU to preference a select group of staff over other affected staff.

Any “deal” which preferences one group of staff affected by a restructure over another group of staff in promotional decisions is neither transparent, fair, nor based on the principles of merit. The PSA will progress the matter in the relevant industrial jurisdiction and is committed to standing up for all staff affected by this restructure. The PSA does not agree to deals which allow for the creation of the lowest paid jobs in the Public Service in exchange for restricted promotional opportunities.

NPWS recently thanked staff for the passion and commitment that you bring to your jobs every day. It is a shame that when it comes to committing to a fair and transparent process for managing change, they are unable to replicate that good will. It is clear actions speak louder than words.

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