The PSA-POVB has achieved reinstatement for a Casual Prison Officer who was taken off the casual list after taking a full-time job with another government agency. Like many casuals, our member had been waiting for many years to get a full-time job with Corrective Services. After he did not even get an interview for his most recent application, he gave up and took a job with another agency. He intended to continue picking up shifts as a Casual Prison Officer.
The other agency required him to notify Corrective Services of his employment with them. Upon receipt of this notice, Corrective Services wrote to our member stating he would no longer be offered casual shifts and instructing him to return his uniform and appointments.
The PSA-POVB filed an unfair dismissal claim with the Industrial Relations Commission on behalf of our member. Following two IRC Compulsory Conferences and a meeting between the PSA-POVB and CSNSW, the employer has agreed that the member can accept one shift each weekend. The unfair dismissal claim has been settled on this basis.
This is a significant outcome for long-term casuals. Corrective Services is moving to rebalance its recruiting by reducing its reliance on casual employees. It is currently advertising a large number of full-time positions. As part of this change, the CSNSW wishes casuals in the future to be available for a minimum of 10 shifts per week. We put to Corrective Services that they may well be able to apply this requirement to future employees, but it is most unfair to retrospectively apply such a policy to existing casuals. Casual Prison Officers should contact the union if they are threatened with loss of shifts following the change in CSNSW policy. Any Casual Prison Officers who are not yet members of the PSA/POVB should immediately contact the union to join and obtain union protection.
Contact:
- Nicole Jess
Chair PSA-POVB - Andrew Wright
Industrial Officer PSA-POVB
Join online at:
https://membership.psa.asn.au/register