Your union, CPSU NSW along with other unions, participated in a enterprise bargaining planning session with WaterNSW in early March. As a result, a Bargaining Plan has been developed and agreed, with the parties also committing to continue using an Interest‑Based Bargaining (IBB) approach.
The agreed bargaining agenda includes:
A proposed three‑year agreement aligned with the Greater Sydney IPART determination.
Stability of existing conditions from the 2023 Enterprise Agreement and compliance with Fair Work Act requirements.
Wages and allowances, including fair increases that keep pace with the cost of living and support attraction and retention.
A review of fatigue and on‑call arrangements, particularly in affected business units.
The first formal bargaining meeting will take place on 30 April 2026.
The CPSU NSW Bargaining Representatives are Scott Butler and Bernie Finch, with CPSU NSW Industrial Officer Ivan Coates.
CPSUNSW Members Meeting
To prepare members and gather feedback ahead of this meeting, CPSU NSW invites members to attend a members’ meeting:
This meeting is an opportunity to hear about the agreed bargaining framework, ask questions, and provide input before negotiations commence. Members are strongly encouraged to attend.
Contacts
Delegates
Bernie Finch
Scott Butler.
NB: There are currently delegate vacancies. If you are interested in becoming a delegate please contact one of the current delegates or a CPSU NSW staff member.
NSW Education Standards Authority: PSA NSW members’ meeting and call for delegates
Your PSA NSW Organiser Michael George and aspiring delegates invite all NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) members to attend a hybrid in-person member meeting scheduled for Tuesday 21 April 2026.
This meeting will provide a crucial platform for members to collectively discuss, share, and raise any issues or concerns you have. The PSA will also be calling for delegate nominations at this meeting to represent members at NESA.
All delegate nominations need to be supported by a nominator and a seconder from NESA.
All nominators and seconders have to be financial members of the PSA NSW from 7 April 2026.
New delegates receive comprehensive training through Special Leave for Trade Union Training (TUT). All PSA members are eligible for up to 12 days of TUT every two years.
So, join us in our collective effort to enhance workplace rights and build a stronger union presence. We encourage you to nominate yourself and get involved with the PSA NSW.
While we encourage all members to attend in person, we recognise that not every member may be able to due to various commitments. To ensure full participation we have provided a Teams link for virtual attendance. This way, even if you cannot be present physically, you will still have the chance to contribute to the discussions and engage with your representatives, delegates, and fellow members.
We strongly encourage all PSA NSW members at NESA whether attending in person or online, to take part in this important meeting. Your insights, experiences, and perspectives are invaluable to our collective efforts. We genuinely want to hear from you about what is happening within your specific areas and about your work at NESA
The PSA’s Assistant General Secretary, Troy Wright, discusses the massive machinery of government change that brought the state’s public housing services together to form Homes NSW. The episode breaks down exactly what the merger of the Department of Communities and Justice (DCJ) Housing, the Aboriginal Housing Office (AHO), and the Land and Housing Corporation (LAHC) means for both the tenants and the PSA members managing the transition.
The conversation dives deep into the daily realities of housing staff who are currently navigating an unprecedented state-wide housing crisis. From managing extensive waitlists and supporting tenants with complex mental health and social needs, to tackling the massive backlog of maintenance for ageing public housing properties, the workload is immense.
While the creation of Homes NSW aims to streamline these services, the practical reality of blending different workplace cultures and IT systems requires heavy lifting from the staff on the ground.
Finally, the episode highlights the critical role of the PSA during this monumental shift. Protecting hard-won conditions, ensuring workloads remain safe and manageable, and fighting for adequate resourcing are top priorities for the union. Ultimately, a successful public housing system that truly supports the state’s most vulnerable residents relies entirely on a well-supported, fully staffed workforce.
Transport for NSW: Yennora Works Office PSA meeting
Do you work at Yennora Works Office and are impacted by the restructure? Your PSA Organiser Adalynn Cole will be visiting members at your worksite to provide industrial updates on the restructure and speak to PSA members about issues happening in your workplace.
Why should you attend?
Receive an update about the restructure, including members right to review placement outcomes
Raise concerns about issues that are affecting you and your team
See the work your union is doing behind the scenes to ensure that a fairer process is in place for employees at TfNSW
Stronger Together!
Know someone who isn’t a of the PSA member? Invite them along so they can learn more about the work your union is doing.
Meeting details
Date Tuesday 14 April 2026
Time 12:30pm-1:30pm
Location Yennora Works Office, Building 1 Conference Room
Contact
Thomas Gao Acting Industrial Officer
Adalynn Cole Organiser
The PSA NSW has over 125 years of proud history, and you stand on the shoulders of more than 40,000 members who know we are stronger together.
Did you know your union also offers you:
Free emergency ambulance cover
Free Journey Insurance – peace of mind if you have an accident travelling to and from work.
FREE Personal & Accident insurance – lump sum claims for injuries and broken bones and for $11 extra get your whole immediate family covered (exclusive of broken bones )
Substantial shopping discounts with Union Shopper
Free will and Legal services and many other benefits
Planning, Integration and Passenger
Hayley Dellaca Newcastle West
Leisa Sedger Grafton
Rhys McGowan Sydney
Coordinator General
Michael Rohrlach St Helena Tunnel Control Centre
People, Communication and Workplaces
Joanne Kent Macquarie Park
Arshdeep Kohli Petersham Training Centre
Dane Richards Burwood
Gloria Nallas Sydney
Tim Jarrett Grafton
Infrastructure, Projects and Engineering
Jenny Beeby Paramatta
Matt Carroll Grafton
Point to Point (Combined Electorate)
Mick Lister Grafton
Louisa Clements Eveleigh
Road Maintenance and Resilience
Kieran Murphy
Sydney Metro
Varada Shinde Sydney
PSA Central Councillor
Lachlan Mercer Sydney
We are Stronger Together!
If you know of a colleague who is not yet a union member, please forward them this email and encourage them to join. During this period of significant change, it is important that we stand together.
A strong union membership gives us greater strength to advocate and negotiate fair outcomes at the decision making table.
Only Union members have the support, protection and representation of their collective.
Child Protection Workers at Strawberry Hills: PSA coffee cart
Come on down to Sette Posta Café and have a chat with your PSA organisers: coffee is on the PSA!
This invitation is open to Child Protection Workers from Strawberry Hills:
Joint Child Protection Referral Program
Child & Family District Unit
Eastern & Central Community Services
Coffee will be FREE for:
PSA members, and
Anyone who signs up on the day
Bring a colleague along and come and say hello!
Coffee cart details
Date: Thursday 16 April 2026 Time: 10:30am – 11:30am Location: Sette Posta Café, Ground floor, Strawberry Hills Office Building, 219–241 Cleveland Street
Come and enjoy a coffee, tea, or cold beverage on us. PSA staff will be there to discuss member benefits, answer questions, and talk through any workplace issues or concerns you may have.
If you have questions or want to discuss anything further, contact your PSA Organiser:
Child Protection Strawberry Hills Office: come and meet your PSA workplace delegates!
Do you work in Child Protection from the Strawberry Hills Office? The PSA is holding an in person and online members’ meeting. Whether you’re in the office or working from home Organiser Andrea Cartwright will be available to discuss member issues.
Come along to the lunch time meeting – this is a great opportunity for both members and non-members to:
Meet your PSA Organiser.
Learn the benefits of using the Workload Planner.
Learn more about becoming a Delegate and the PSA’s role in your workplace.
Share ideas on how your union can best support you and your colleagues.
Meeting Details
Date:
Thursday 16 April 2026
Time:
12:30pm – 1:30pm
Location:
Strawberry Hills – STB-CLS-L4.00
If you cannot make it in person, there is a Teams option:
Tahu Ranapia Nehua Joint Child Protection Referral Program
Sandra Fonseca Eastern Sydney Community Services Centre
Celline Mao Central Sydney Community Services Centre
PSA staff
Adam McMahon Child & Family District Unit
Andrea Cartwright Organiser
Graydon Welsh Industrial Officer
Are you interested in becoming a Workplace Delegate?
We’re looking for passionate representatives from your work site to join us at the Joint Consultative Committee (JCC) meeting for the Department of Community Services. This is your chance to have a voice, drive positive change, and represent your colleagues where it really counts!
If you’re keen to get involved and help shape what happens in your workplace, we want to hear from you!
Whether you’ve got something specific to raise or just want to stay informed, we’d love to see you there!
If you know any non-members’ that would like to learn more about your union, invite them to attend.
University of Sydney: CPSU enterprise bargaining – your log of claims
Bargaining for your new Enterprise Agreement will commence next week.
The union would like to thank all members that attended the listenings and all that have reached out with their issues, thoughts and ideas for improvements and changes to your entitlements and conditions of employment.
Your delegates have heard your feedback and from that have developed the following log of claims, which can be viewed HERE.
We seek your endorsement of the log via this survey, which can be found HERE.
Please respond by no later than close of business Friday 10 April, 2026.
Should you have any questions, please contact your University of Sydney CPSU Bargaining Team members:
Grant Wheeler
Holly Eades
Tama Woodbury
Alison Wardman
Norton Roughley
Know someone that is not a union member? Encourage them to join the CPSU.
The stronger we are, the better our chances of success at the bargaining table.
The CPSU NSW is the union for Professional Staff and will always put Professional Staff interests first.
Are you ready? Ahpra bargaining likely to be concluded quickly
Are you ready for the agreement that will set your wages and conditions for the next three years to be finalised?
Your unions believe Ahpra is preparing for a sudden end to negotiations, to go to a formal ballot. Ahpra has put an offer on the table. Unions have been told that staff must provide in-principle support by 17 April or miss out on some additional improvements. We understand Ahpra intends to survey staff and, if they receive in-principle support, proceed to a formal ballot under Fair Work.
At bargaining on 2 April, unions put a detailed list of questions to Ahpra about its offer. After two hours of discussions, only a small number were answered.
These are critical questions. How can staff be expected to support a proposal when there is so little detail about what it actually means? Unions will continue to press for answers. We will only respond to the offer once we understand it fully and have heard from members.
How can you be ready?
1. Join your union – this is the single best thing you can do to contribute to Ahpra staff getting the best possible outcome. Your strength in bargaining is based on the number of union members. If you’ve been sitting on the fence, now is the time to join and add your voice.
2. Tell us what matters to you – complete the survey below to tell us your priorities. Is it cost of living? Workload? Career progression? In coming weeks, unions will respond to Ahpra’s offer. We need to know what matters most – what you will fight for, what’s a “nice to have”, and what isn’t a priority for you.
3. Build support in your workplace – if Ahpra puts an Agreement to ballot that members don’t support, unions will campaign for a NO vote. Talk to your colleagues about the offer – what’s missing, what’s unfair, and why it matters. Ahpra is spending resources on town halls and roadshows, so it’s up to us to add balance to the debate. You need to be a part of the conversation and raise the questions Ahpra doesn’t want to answer… like “Why should Ahpra staff accept another three years of wages going backwards in real terms?”
We want your questions
Help shape the union response by completing the survey. It will ask for your views on the offer, what unaddressed claims still matter, and what actions you’d be willing to take if Ahpra doesn’t provide an acceptable offer.
Things are moving quickly. Complete the survey ASAP – and ask your colleagues to do the same: linktr.ee/ahpraworkers They don’t need to be union members to take part (though we’d love to
welcome them aboard!).
Join our national meeting
We’re holding a national meeting on 15 April at 12pm AEST (10am AWST/11:30am ACST). AHPRA has approved the meeting being held in paid time, for both union members and those yet to join.
Authorised by Stewart Little (CPSU-SPSF Group), 160 Clarence Street, Sydney NSW 2000; Annie Butler (ANMF), 1/365 Queen Street, Melbourne VIC 3000; and Alex Scott (Together Queensland), Level 4, 43 Peel Street, South Brisbane QLD 4101.
Housing Services: Sydney district PSA Joint Consultative Committee meeting
The first quarterly Joint Consultative Committee meeting (JCC) for 2026 was held on 16 March 2026 for the Sydney district. PSA industrial staff attend these meetings with workplace delegates and district leadership from Homes NSW.
JCCs are an important platform to address workplace concerns and members are encouraged to reach out to PSA delegates and staff about any workplace issues they would like raised at the meetings. They are an opportunity for members to speak out and ask any questions they may have about workplace rights. Please note only collective issues are discussed at JCCs. Individual matters are managed privately.
Key discussions on 16 March included:
Recruitment and backfilling
Management advised that staff in acting up positions, and are eligible, continue to be converted to ongoing roles and new recruits receive ongoing support to help transition them into the district. They also mentioned that there were no Client Service Officer vacancies.
Housing Services has a clear process around how to fill temporary vacancies of up to 26 weeks. Members are encouraged to engage with this process and to please reach out with any questions or concerns youd like raised at the next JCC.
Staff development
Management said they have a new training calendar in draft and that the district has partnered with other districts to make sure training is more accessible for staff.
Refresher training in managing workplace violence is to be rolled out across the district this year. The executive director of Housing Services confirmed in a meeting last Friday that the training would be delivered face-to-face every 2 years with online refreshers in alternate years.
The PSA asked about assistance provided to support staff through LEAP and management confirmed staff are given additional time to complete the training. Leadership said they are alerted if anyone falls into the at-risk category and can provide the appropriate supports.
Work Health and Safety
Management said the districts Psychosocial Action Plan has been done and will be presented at the next Town Hall. At the Housing Services JCC last Friday, the executive director said the Psychosocial Action Plans had been finalised in accordance with SafeWork NSW guidance and that reviews would be scheduled every 6 months to reflect staff feedback.
It’s important that members know about and understand the Psychosocial Action Plan as it will provide important agreed actions about how to manage psychosocial hazards such as role overload, workplace bullying, work-related violence and burnout.
Linked to the Psychosocial Action Plan is the People Matter Employee Survey (PMES) subplan. Leadership said it focuses on 3 primary areas, including:
Supporting Client Service Officers on the floor, particularly around de-escalation
Wellbeing and burnout
Communication and support on the floor, to improve consistent messaging
Management said the plan would speak to the people on the frontline. In the Housing Services JCC last Friday, management noted that Client Service Officers recorded the highest number of Safety Suite incidents. Again, members are encouraged to engage with the plan and reach out if they have any questions or concerns.
Renovations for Strawberry Hills office
Staff have been told about the upcoming renovations to the Strawberry Hills office and have been shown a mocked up model. Front and back spaces are to be done, including booths and rooms. Please reach out to your workplace delegates or PSA staff if you have any concerns about the upcoming renovations.
The next JCC meeting is scheduled for June. Members are encouraged to share any issues they have with workplace delegates or PSA staff, particularly around any matters raised here. The more you get involved, the stronger and more united your workforce will be, to better negotiate workplace rights and conditions.
PSA visit to Penrith Radio Operations and Penrith Police Station (Unsworn)
Come and speak with your union representatives, organiser Michael Petersen and workplace delegate John Hughes, about their role in your workplace and how the union can support you.
Whether youve got something specific to raise or just want to stay informed, wed love to see you there, for a meet and greet.
Everyone is welcome. Feel free to bring along a non-member colleague so they can learn about the benefits of being part of your union.
Meeting details
Date
Thursday 9 April 2026
Time
10:00am-12:00pm
Location
Lunch Room, Level 2, Penrith Police Station
Contact:
Michael Petersen PSA Organiser John Hughes Workplace Delegate
Become a delegate
Are you interested in knowing your rights and getting more involved in your union by becoming a Workplace Delegate?
Your union would like to receive expressions of interest from members interested in becoming a workplace delegate. Training and support will be provided.
If you would like further information, please contact your organiser Michael Petersen. Contact details are in the blue box. above.
