Your union has been advised of a restructure in Brand, Digital and Communications.
We note that the proposal suggests a reduction of 30 to 40 Full Time Equivalent roles. The PSA has requested a briefing to better understand the rationale behind this decision and to raise our concerns with management.
Consultation closes on 14 July 2025. If you have feedback that you would like your union to submit, de-identified, on your behalf please contact member support on or 1800 772 679 quoting reference number 10007647 by close of business Thursday 10 July 2025.
If you would like a member meeting to discuss concerns please contact your Organiser, Mel Ciraolo to arrange.
Your union, the PSA, will visit your workplace on Thursday 10 July 2025.
We will run through a range of sector-wide issues including your pay rise and proposed changes to workers’ compensation. As always, we will be on hand to answer any questions you may have.
We will also discuss member benefits including Union Shopper and the Free Will Service for members.
Non-members are also welcome to call in and have a chat about the benefits of joining the PSA.
We look forward to seeing you on Thursday.
Details
Date 10 July 2025 Time 12:30pm-1:30pm Location Lunch room
Survey results of the DCJ Infrastructure and Assets DCJ Workplace Design
Thank you to our members who took the time to compete the PSA’s survey on Infrastructure and Assets Department of Communities and Justice (DCJ) Workplace Design. The feedback we received is that members have concerns about many aspects of the model.
The PSA was consulted when the design was first introduced. However, it often not until it comes into practice that we know the true impact of such a design has on your working conditions.
General Assistants: Why it is important to report incidents
The PSA would like to remind all General Assistants (GA) about the importance of reporting incidents.
An incident is an event that creates danger or risk that could significantly affect the health, safety and wellbeing of individuals and cause major disruption, and impact on the effective operation of workplaces. These may include but not be limited to; spitting, hitting, kicking and near misses.
All staff have an obligation to report incidents. In fact, the Department requires employees to report them as soon as possible.
It is also imperative that psychological incidents are reported as they can have a detrimental effect on your wellbeing.
No incident or injury is too small to report.
If there is no action taken by the Department of Education Work Health and Safety Directorate and you still feel there are safety issues, then GA members can contact the PSA for advice and support.
GAs often work alone at school during vacation periods. Over the years, accidents have occurred and the PSA pushed strongly for the Department to implement procedures to ensure the safety of all school staff working in isolation or alone during school vacations.
Before the commencement of every school holiday the principal or supervisor should be discussing what tasks the GA will be doing over the holidays.
55.1 The following training courses will attract the grant of special leave as specified below:
55.1.1 Accredited Work Health and Safety (WHS) courses and any other accredited WHS training for WHS Committee members. The provider(s) of accredited WHS training courses and the conditions on which special leave for such courses will be granted, will be negotiated between the Department Head and the Association under a local arrangement pursuant to clause 10, Local Arrangements of this award.
55.1.2 Courses organised and conducted by the Trade Union Education Foundation or by the Association or a training provider nominated by the Association. A maximum of 12 working days in any period of 2 years applies to this training and is subject to:
(a) the operating requirements of the workplace permitting the grant of leave and the absence not requiring employment of relief employees;
(b) payment being at the base rate, i.e. excluding extraneous payments such as shift allowances/penalty rates, overtime, etc;
(c) all travelling and associated expenses being met by the employee or the Association;
(d) attendance being confirmed in writing by the Association or a nominated training provider.
If you are interested in becoming Women’s Contact Officer with the Reconstruction Authority Vocational Group please email Jo Aboud at
As the NSW Reconstruction Authority matures and the severity and magnitude of natural emergencies continues to escalate, the outstanding issues with respect to emergency and recovery operations need to be addressed.
The PSA has several options that will be progressed as part of our discussions with the agency and our membership.
Congratulations to your newly elected Environment Protection Authority Departmental Committee Delegates
The PSA is pleased to announce the following members have been elected unopposed as the new EPA Delegates:
Electorate 1 – Metropolitan
Parramatta, Lidcombe
Georgia Meredith
Hugo Floyd
Izack Muhlbock
Jane Burgett
Electorate 2 – Hunter
Newcastle
One vacancy
Electorate 3 – North
Grafton, Coffs Harbour and Port Macquarie
Scott King
Simon Lemont
Electorate 4 – South
Wollongong, Queanbeyan and Merimbula
One vacancy
Electorate 5
West
New England
Riverina
Buronga, Broken Hill,
Armidale, Narrabri,
Wagga, Griffith, Dubbo, Bathurst, and Central West
One vacancy
Congratulations to the new Delegates and thanks to all who participated in the nomination process
There are delegate vacancies remaining in Electorates 2, 4 and 5. These can be filled as a late nomination by filling in NOMINATION FORM HERE
Delegate training will be provided for all delegates. You will also have support and guidance from the PSA.
PSA organiser
Also a welcome to Michael Parsons who has commenced as the PSA Organiser for EPA. Michael has a wealth of experience in the sector. Michael can be contacted on
PSA members employed by the State Government will next month receive a 3 per cent pay increase. They will also receive a 0.5 per cent increase in superannuation, which will means they will receive 12 per cent of their salary in super contributions.
This pay increase, which is above the rate of inflation, is the second instalment of a three-year deal negotiated by your union in 2024.
The multiyear deal negotiated by the PSA means your pay increase should be delivered in the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2025, rather than later in the year with back pay, as has been the case for the past decade.
If you do not receive your pay increase at this time, please contact the PSA.
As the wage deal was negotiated in 2024, the PSA is able to dedicate its resources to improving other conditions to members. We will work to:
fix the many issues identified by members in the Government Sector Employment Act
implement a core-work policy to remove the use of contingent labour from government
roll out a redeployment strategy to to preserve the employment of members affected by restructures
reintroduce senior officer grades to restore award rights for senior managers and reduce the size of the Senior Executive Service.
As members receive their pay increases for 2025-26, the PSA will work hard to improve all aspects of your working lives.
Not a member?
A strong union is able to negotiate wage increases and repair the damage done by more than a decade of unfair wage restraint. The more members we have, the stronger we are. You can join the PSA HERE.
New Child Protection Award – last day to ensure you’re a financial PSA member
Last week, the PSA received a formal proposal for the making of a standalone Crown Employees (Child Protection) Award for a three year period from 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2028. You can view the offer documentation HERE.
Voting for the Award will open tomorrow (2 July 2025) to financial PSA members, which means in order to vote on your working conditions and remuneration, you must be a financial member of the PSA by close of business today.
Revised salary ranges, automatic advancement of increments, 100 new Leading Caseworker roles and the abolishment of forfeited hours
The proposed stand-alone Child Protection Award provides for the following:
Salary transition for existing caseworkers – The ability to progress up to three increments for existing caseworkers, resulting in remuneration increases of between 3 per cent to 19 per cent over the next 12 months.
Additional pay increase next year – A further pay increase of 3 per cent in July 2026
No more forfeited hours – Where hours worked exceed the carry forward balance for the settlement period, and those hours worked cannot reasonably be taken as flextime or otherwise reduced before the end of the settlement period, overtime rates will apply. Forfeiture of excess hours worked would therefore be avoided, as the Department will face a financial penalty for all forfeited hours.
The creation of a Leading Caseworker position – DCJ proposes to create 100 leading caseworker roles. This role will be renumerated at a rate equivalent to Clerk Grade 8.
New grading for Manager Casework – The Manager Casework grading is proposed to be revised from a salary equivalent of a Clerk Grade 9 to a salary equivalent of a Clerk Grade 9/10.
We encourage members to review the offer documentation to see full details of the proposed Award.
Only PSA members have a vote
The only way for Child Protection Workers to secure a vote on your remuneration and working conditions is to be a financial member of the PSA. If you think you may be unfinancial, please contact the PSA today on 1800 772 679 and press 1 for Membership.
If you are not yet a member, you can join online today at www.psa.asn.au
NSW State Emergency Service PSA delegate information session postponed due to weather event
Are you interested in improving your workplace?
Do you want to support your colleagues and make sure their voices are heard?
With delegate elections approaching for the NSW State Emergency Service, now is the perfect time to get involved.
You’re invited to a lunchtime seminar to learn what it means to be a PSA delegate—a key role representing PSA members in the workplace.
Due to current weather events the seminar that was scheduled for 2 July 2025 has been rescheduled to Wednesday 16 July 2025.
When Wednesday, 16 July 2025 (please note: new date) Time 12:00pm-12.30pm
Microsoft Teams Join the meeting now
Meeting ID 468 616 943 807 5
Passcode BG7Kc2jP
Why become a PSA delegate?
As a delegate, you’ll be the day-to-day face of the PSA—leading on workplace issues, connecting members with the union office, and helping protect and advance your colleagues’ workplace rights.
Whether you’re just curious or ready to step up, this session is for you.
We hope to see you there
Lastly, the PSA would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to all our SES members for your dedication and hard work in keeping the community safe during these weather events. Thank you, stay safe, and best of luck.
For more information, please contact PSA Senior Organiser Anne Kennelly
PSA CPSU NSW members can claim their union fees as a work expense when filling out their tax returns.
For members who pay via Direct Debit or Credit Card
Your tax statement will be available to download from our website from today, Tuesday 1 July 2025.
To obtain your tax statement, you should login to the Members Area website HERE. Once logged in, click My Billing. When the page loads, scroll down to Your Tax Statements, where you can obtain your tax statement.
If it is your first time logging into the recently updated Member Area, your username is your Member Number.
Your password will be your Member Number followed by your last name. For example, if your name is John Smith and your Member Number is 123456, then your password will be 123456Smith.
Once you log on, it is a good time to go to our website and check out all the great member benefits, member resources and training programs your union has on offer.
You should also check if all your contact details are correct.
You will not be able to download your payment summary from our website.
If you have any questions regarding your membership, please email us at or call the PSA CPSU NSW on 1800 772 679 and press option 1 to speak with our Membership Team.
The PSA has received a formal proposal for the making of a standalone Crown Employees (Child Protection) Award for a three-year period from 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2028.
Please see a video from Assistant General Secretary Troy Wright about the creation of a stand-alone Child Protection Award HERE.
You can view the offer documentation by clicking blue button
Revised salary ranges, automatic advancement of increments, 100 new Leading Caseworker roles and the abolishment of forfeited hours.
The proposed stand-alone Child Protection Award provides for the following:
Salary transition for existing caseworkers – The ability to progress up to three increments for existing caseworkers, resulting in remuneration increases of between 3 per cent to 19 per cent over the next 12 months.
Additional pay increase next year – A further pay increase of 3 per cent in July 2026
No more forfeited hours – Where hours worked exceed the carry forward balance for the settlement period, and those hours worked cannot reasonably be taken as flextime or otherwise reduced before the end of the settlement period, overtime rates will apply. Forfeiture of excess hours worked would therefore be avoided, as the Department will face a financial penalty for all forfeited hours.
200 additional Caseworkers – A commitment from the NSW Government to recruit 200 new caseworkers.
The creation of a Leading Caseworker position – Department of Communities and Justice proposes to create an additional 100 leading caseworker roles. This role will be remunerated at a rate equivalent to Clerk Grade 8.
New grading for Manager Casework – The Manager Casework grading is proposed to be revised from a salary equivalent of a Clerk Grade 9 to a salary equivalent of a Clerk Grade 9/10.
We encourage members to review the offer documentation to see full details of the proposed Award.
Where to from here?
If the Award offer is accepted by PSA members, the new Award will be made via consent and the remuneration increases and salary transition will take affect from the first full pay period after the 1 July 2025.
If the Award offer is rejected by PSA members, staff will stay on the Crown Employees (Public Service Conditions of Employment) Reviewed Award 2009 and existing conditions of employment and salary scale. The making of a new Award would then most likely require Conciliation and Arbitration in the Industrial Relations Commission over the next 12 months.
PSA visits to Community Services Centres in Southern Illawarra district
Regional Organiser Shane Elliot and Senior Organiser Belinda Tsirekas will be running meetings to discuss current issues affecting members, and to provide information on the PSA’s Workload Planner.
Workload planner
To assist you in setting boundaries and prioritise your workload, to give you tools to say “no” to work you simply do not have the hours to complete – the PSA will be running Workload Planner Lunch and Learn sessions both in Community Service Centres (CSCs) and via MS Teams while visiting the Southern and Illawarra District.
The current Workload Planner (WLP) is easier to use than you might think, and we urge you to put it into action because the fact remains – if it’s not measurable, it’s not manageable. The Workload Planner gives the PSA, and manger client services, directors and executive district director, evidence to clearly demonstrate that there are not enough workers to meet the workload.
We will also be discussing member benefits such as personal journey insurance, Union Shopper discounts, free ambulance cover and free will service.
Non-members are also welcome to attend and have a chat about the benefits of joining the PSA.
The PSA will visit Community Services Centres as follows:
