Department of Education General Assistants staff freeze – May 2017 (PDF version)

Members have been contacting the PSA advising they have been informed by the Department of Education (DoE) there is a staff freeze on transfers and advertised vacant positions.

When the DoE is asked the reason for the General Assistants (GA) staff freeze answers include:

• the Government Sector Employment Act (GSE) implementation and transferring long-term temporary employees to ongoing. See the DoE letter HERE.

• the PSA holding up a new GA agreement.

The DoE has begun to fill long-term temporary positions, as required by the GSE, and has identified 1200 temporary positions impacted by this legislative requirement. GAs are included in that number. The PSA has not been informed of the exact number of temporary GA positions effected by this requirement.

The PSA has not been approached by the DoE for any new GA agreement. Rumours of the GA staff freeze have been raised many times by the PSA at Joint Consultative Committee (JCC) meetings. The reply from the DoE is that there is no such staff freeze.

If PSA members have been advised by the DoE that your transfer or permanency can’t be actioned or progressed because there is a freeze on transfers for GAs, please contact the Industrial Officer Anthony Wright (), as we may be able to assist you.

General Assistants Advisory Group (GAAG) elections

Nomination for election to the GAAG will be called in an upcoming edition of Red Tape.

The GAAG consists of members from all areas of NSW and meets four times a year to discuss issues effecting GAs and Farm Assistants. The GAAG is a vital and the predominant forum for discussion and progress of industrial issues.

GA members are encouraged to become more active to help the PSA push the industrial issues which matter to them. Participation on the GAAG is paid and also, training for new Delegates can be provided by the PSA. Contact the PSA and ask for a nomination form.