Angry about low staffing in ROG? We need YOU to make your voice heard!
The PSA continues to receive concerns from members in ROG regarding ongoing short staffing, merging of channels, and working alpha.
Previous attempts to confront these issues have been unsuccessful because Management hides the reality of periods of excessive work behind statistics based on average staffing and workloads, thereby dismissing members’ legitimate concerns.
A previous bulletin from the PSA, available HERE, encouraged members to submit complaints in real time using a standardised template. This allows individual complaints to be collectivised and builds up a strong picture over time of how frequent and severe the major concerns are, as well as pressuring Management for answers on how they are managed.
Over the last 12 months, the PSA has received a number of these reports that delegates and industrial staff have been able to use to seek answer from Management. However, ultimately there have not been enough submitted to give a proper overview of the issue.
Members continue to raise staffing issues in general terms but are not submitting specific complaints for the PSA to follow up. This makes it extremely difficult to apply pressure and achieve results.
WE NEED YOU!
Members are the ones working on the ground in Centres every day and dealing with inadequate staffing. With the bushfire season increasing the demands on members, it is more important than ever that short staffing is called out when it happens.
With your involvement, these reports will provide evidence for your delegates and PSA staff to work with. Reports should be submitted when the following principles around baseline service delivery and workload management are breached.
- Channels should not be merged when the resulting merged channel will be too busy.
- Alpha should only be worked as a last resort and only for a reasonable length of time.
- There should be sufficient channels operating at any particular time state-wide to cover potential fluctuations in workload.
The PSA is well aware these principles are breached on a regular basis. Where this happens, members are strongly encouraged to complain formally to the Centre Commander and send a copy to the PSA.
The PSA has developed a simplified PDF form that can automatically attach to an email, available HERE.
So what can you do?
- Complete and submit this form as soon as possible after a high workload incident.
- Encourage colleagues to submit this form if they have been involved in a high workload incident.
- Ensure copies of this bulletin are printed off and circulated widely across your Centre.
- Talk to your delegate about how you can assist collating these reports on your relief.
Please copy all emails to your PSA centre delegate(s), as well as PSA industrial staff.
PSA staff
Andrew Wright Industrial Officer