Court Escort Security Unit Long Bay Training Dispute - Public Service Association

Court Escort Security Unit Long Bay Training Dispute

The following is an update on the outcome of the dispute lodged by the PSA, in relation to Corrective Services NSW (CSNSW) decision to implement on-site Court Escort Security Unit (CESU) training at the Long Bay Complex.  The Prison Officers Vocational Branch (POVB) challenged the decision and associated directions given to CESU members by CSNSW.

An in-person conciliation took place at the Industrial Relations Commission (IRC) before Commissioner Muir on Thursday, 3 October 2024.  The POVB presented the following:

  • No consultation with our members was engaged in prior to the notice given to CESU staff.  Instead, a directive was given that staff were to attend, without any regard for their personal circumstances.
  • The lack of consultation on a matter requiring CESU staff to attend multi-day training at Long Bay is a change to the conditions of employment and should have been subject to negotiation.
  • Since the creation of CESU, staff have not been required to be away from home for training before. While CSNSW states that the accommodation is comparable to the Corrective Services Academy, POVB representatives who toured the facility felt that the rooms were small, and the showers were inadequate. We argued that the shared bathroom facilities and lack of in-room televisions mean it does not meet the three-star standard stipulated in the Crown Employees (Public Service Conditions of Employment) Reviewed Award 2009.
  • A few members shared with us personal circumstances surrounding their need to regularly use bathroom facilities during the night and would be reluctant to do so in the knowledge that they would have to pass the rooms of their colleagues on multiple occasions to seek relief.
  • We argued our members concerns around the quality of the food served at the Long Bay Cafe, with some members stating that they will not eat food prepared by inmates.
  • The requirement for staff to travel to Long Bay for training will negatively impact their family and community commitments with difficulty for staff with caring responsibilities, those in shared custody arrangements, and staff with livestock that cannot be left unattended.
  • Our members object to having to use their own time to travel, particularly for staff who live a significant distance from Long Bay. They argue that CSNSW should provide travel time or transport in work hours. The lack of clarity regarding travel entitlements and the possibility of out-of-pocket expenses is another concern.
  • To our knowledge there have been no provisions made for staff located in metro areas such as Western Sydney, who make up a large portion of CSNSW’s workforce – to be given accommodation on-site despite their commute to the location more than two hours from door to door.
  • The centralised training model is not the most efficient use of resources, as it removes FTOs from their usual workplaces and requires some staff to undertake training that is already provided locally and pointed out that the training at Port Macquarie was historically delivered by local Field Training Officers (FTO) at minimal cost to the department.
  • The four weeks’ notice provided to staff is insufficient, particularly as staff were being directed to attend the training and may face disciplinary action if they refuse.

 

The IRC was not swayed by our arguments to halt the training on site at the Long Bay facility.  However, we did walk away with some concessions made by CSNSW in the matter moving forward.

The POVB successfully negotiated a change in CSNSW’s approach to the CESU training: While CSNSW initially mandated all Senior Correctional Officers (SCO) and Correctional Officers (CO) were to complete the training, the outcome of the IRC mediation resulted in CSNSW shifting to a voluntary training model. This change represents a win for the POVB as it grants our members greater autonomy over their training and work schedules.

Courses will be conducted monthly at the Long Bay Complex, and courses will be assigned to employees who have previously advised CESU management of their availability to attend.

From February 2025, courses will be conducted weekly at Long Bay Complex, and remaining employees will be given training date options to ensure all staff have completed the required training in line with the perennial model.

CSNSW agreed to provide additional benefits and resources for CESU members attending the training: In addition to the shift to voluntary training, CSNSW agreed to provide transportation for trainees leaving the Long Bay Complex after training sessions. This concession acknowledges the isolation of the Long Bay Complex and addresses a potential concern raised by the POVB regarding their members’ access to amenities outside work hours.

Finally, there will be the introduction of in-room amenities such as individual TV sets for personal use to assist in the comfort of those participating in training.

Dates have been set in November and February 2025 for both parties to return to the IRC for updates to Commissioner Muir and resolutions of further identified issues.

The POVB would like to thank its members for their solidarity and support during this dispute. Your commitment to a fair and equitable workplace for all members involved is what allowed us to get the department to make these much-needed concessions.

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