The Retired Associates met for their final meeting of the year on 3 December 2024 at PSA House and by Zoom.

Troy Wright, Assistant General Secretary gave an executive update and discussed the following:

• Recent pay deal for public servants Three-year agreement reached at 4 per cent, 3 per cent, 3 per cent with a buffer for inflation and cost-of-living increases.
• Pay deals for other public sector workers discussed e.g. teachers and police, including the details of the police agreement which need more contextual information over and above what has been reported in the media.
• PSA membership has grown to about 41,000 members.
• There has also been a salary increase and settlement with groups in the public sector who had unjust and outdated conditions, such as Special Constables, Sheriff’s Officers and Grooms working for NSW Police.
• Working on agreements in Fisheries and for Child Protection Workers.
• There are significant problems with recruitment and retention of Child Protection Workers as the current grading of 3-7 is too low as a starting point and needs to change.
• Out of Home Care is in crisis: privatisation is a total failure.
• Junee Correctional Centre comes under the public sector on 1 April 2025
• Slowly rebuilding capacity in the public sector.
• Government has set up a group to look at possible changes to the Government Sector Employment Act.

Ruth Davis who recently retired after a long career in nursing and midwifery was our guest speaker. She gave a presentation which included a lot of wisdom along with practical, commonsense advice about looking after our mental health and wellbeing over Christmas.

The approved minutes of the October meeting are attached HERE. The draft minutes of the December meeting are attached HERE, and Ruth Davis’s presentation is HERE for the information of Retired Associates.

We agreed on the following meeting schedule for 2025:

Tuesday 25 February
Tuesday, 22 April
Tuesday, 24 June (AGM)
Tuesday, 26 August
Tuesday, 21 October
Tuesday, 2 December

The first meeting for 2025 will be held on Tuesday, 25 February at PSA House, 160 Clarence Street, commencing at 10:30am. More details will be circulated in mid-February.

Best wishes to all Retired Associates for the Festive Season

 

Carmel McKeough
Secretary
PSA CPSU NSW Retired Associates