A teleconference took place today for the redeployment of staff from Court Escort Security Unit – for five-day locations, 24 hr locations and Transport locations.

There has been a significant reduction in function for five-day court locations, 24-hour court locations and transport due to the COVID-19 crisis. Due to this staff will be redeployed to centres to assist them with managing leave due to self-isolation.

All of these changes are temporary for the period of the COVID-19 Pandemic and staff will return to their CESU posts upon resumption of normal court functions.

CESU management informed the POVB Executive that last Friday an agreement between Police and CSNSW took place and we would now be going to a Saturday, Sunday and Public Holiday process and we will be taking all Police Bail refused and putting inmates on tablets provided by NSW Police.

The first teleconference was for five-day court locations.

The following information came out of that meeting:

• Burwood, Blacktown and Bankstown will continue to run and do the Bail applications for the Police via a tablet. Six staff will remain in that location so there will be opportunities for staff to be redeployed to those locations. This process will start Wednesday but may be pushed to Thursday this week.
• There may be connectivity issues so the tablets need to be trialled first to gauge the best place for use.
• Amber Laurel and Surry Hills will be doing the Saturday, Sunday and Public Holidays for Police Bail Refused so an extra four staff will be sent to Amber Laurel and Surry Hills to accommodate that function.
• Parramatta Drug Court is still being undertaken so six staff will remain in that location whilst that function is still taking place.
• It is envisaged that staff will commence redeployment by 2 April, 2020. If sent to a centre, staff will be doing an induction process until the new roster commences on 12 April, 2020.
• After the first day of orientation at the centre, staff will be included in the overtime pool.
• Staff going to centres will be able to decide during the induction process if they want to remain five days, and the centres will manage that, or if they wish to go to 5/7 days they can apply for that also and that will take effect the roster commencing 13 March.
• Any current approved leave will be honoured by the centre.
• Process on how to place staff will be carried out by Human Resources and there will be involvement from the POVB Executive and local delegates.
• Tablets for legal aid – SOPs have been developed and Legal Aid practitioners have been consulted.
• Uniforms – if required will be ordered through CESU not the centre that you are redeployed to.
• NSW Police submission for Wyong catchment is not feasible for CSNSW. CSNSW will be discussing this with Police later today.
• Locations will be supplied with cleaning equipment to maintain hygiene standards between the use of the tablets. LOPs have been formulated for staff to adhere to.
• Entitlements for travel – HR stated that if your preference is further than your nearest centre, staff will not be eligible for travel costs.
• Tweed Heads will go to Lismore. Leave will be looked at, look at reduced excess leave due to the increase in staff in that location. CESU stated they will manage the situations out of that location. Other options are SOG is looking at options as long they meet the criteria.
• Blacktown will only take any Blacktown AVL and will only take from their catchment.
• Staff currently at the locations of Blacktown, Burwood and Bankstown will remain and the extra positions will be filled via redeployed staff.

The second teleconference was for 24-hour court locations:

• CESU management stated there is not going to be a great deal of change for the 24-hour locations, this is due to geography. Staff will have to look at managing excess leave, overtime will have to be filled by excess staff due to the reduction in work.
• Staff on Return to Work plans due to Workers Compensation – staff that this affects have been told there is no longer work for them. This means that they reduce to the 80 per cent PIAWI payment. There is conflicting information on this matter. CESU management will seek further clarification on the matter and will get back to the POVB.
• Start times have been changed at Wagga – will deal with this issue.
• Queanbeyan – short FTEs – if TEs are needed CESU will look at that after this process has been conducted. Not going to redeploy staff from Sydney to that location. CESU will look at the operations it and if needed do a TEs.
• Lismore –what happens if the tablet from the Police do not work so they will be utilising the AVL at the Police station. CESU management advised to the trials to see if tablets work in locations and the best place to do them for connectivity. If locations cannot utilise them in their locations to liaise with Police as they may be able to use Police AVL suite. If not, then Police do the PBRs. Liaise with CESU if there is issue with the tablet.
• Dubbo – has long-term vacancies and has trouble filling the posts. CESU management stated if it can indicate that it be cannot managed with the current FTE positions then CESU will look at putting TEs back in again. PPE struggling to get the PPE – CESU management stated that more PPE has been sent via courier or by transport truck.

Third Teleconference was for Bathurst CC CESU, Goulburn CESU, Silverwater CESU, Northern CESU and Grafton CESU:

• There will differences between each of the locations functions but it will mainly be transport functions.
• Redeployment will be only temporarily everyone will come back. CESU management wanted to ensure staff know this.
• Staff remaining in these locations will manage your own rosters, utilise excess staff to fill vacancies. Leave reduction strategies will be implemented in this time for excess leave.
• Once all EOI are in CESU will work with HR on placement. A POVB representative and local delegates will be assisting.
• If staff feel like they cannot be moved, they can make individual representation to management explaining their issues however there is no guarantee that their issues can be managed at the location.
• Talk of 14-day isolation process. There may be an opportunity to map in staff for that.
• There will be two COVID trucks in the metro region to pick up inmates.
• Jason Charlton raised – Emu Plains is repurposing – reducing staff. Staff at Penrith would prefer to go to Emu Plains but that would not be an option so the next location is the Windsor complex would they be eligible for travel entitlements. HR response was they would be as the closest centre is not an option.
• Grafton and Bathurst will have a reduction in work – CESU expect leave strategies, no overtime, manage the roster at a local level.
• NTU – significant reduction – no court sittings, will be doing classification runs but they may start to slow down, management will be in touch to discuss the revised model once it is finalised. Due to it being on the Cessnock complex it is envisaged that staff can go there for the period of the crisis. CESU will decide on a model and take into account leave strategies. Possible reduction by seven staff. Staff who wish to travel to country locations that can be looked at however they will not be compensated and they have to return.
• Goulburn – there will be no huge changes unless there is significant changes in classification. The operational model will be looked at then EOIs. Goulburn staff have a proposal for the reduction of leave for the staff and CESU will look at that and get back to them if it is acceptable or not.

As you would all be aware, this is a fluid situation and may change as more details from the Government arise.

If any member has any concerns about the redeployment of staff, please contact a member of the POVB Executive.

Contact details

Nicole Jess Chairperson 
0427 609 199

Jason Charlton Vice Chairperson 
0401 500 976

Amanda Cotter Secretary
0404 042 600

Thor Sutherland Assistant Secretary            
0447 633 476

Darren King Country Vice Chair     
0407 935 039

Natalie Howes Country Vice Chair 
0407 011 441

David McCauley POVB Industrial Officer     
0419 022 767

David Bartle POVB Industrial Officer             
0418 425 976a