Thank you to all the members who provided feedback to the PSA’s last bulletin on the matter. This bulletin can be accessed HERE.
On 1 April 2022, the PSA met with the Department regarding the Group Director’s memo. The PSA advised that while there had been discussion about the memo within the context of the Mid North Coast Correctional Centre hostage situation, consultation more broadly with members across the state was needed. Delegates advised the Department they had not seen the memo prior to it being issued by the Department and the memo should be corrected to reflect this. As such, the PSA reiterates that nothing has been finalised from the union’s end and more discussion with the Department is required. When this was expressed to the Department, they advised that they were more than willing to consult and a further meeting will be scheduled. The PSA also requested the memo be rescinded and/or reissued once consultation had been finalised.
During the meeting, the PSA expressed members’ concerns that they may be pressured to work one out even if they felt unsafe. The Department responded by referring to the processes set out in the memo whereby a concerned member could talk to the MOSP. To this the PSA stated that while ideally members should have open discussions about safety with management, the process set out puts the onus back on members to push back against management and as a result, members might be reluctant to raise safety concerns. Therefore, the situation appears as if KPI figures are being prioritised over member safety.
Beyond the memo itself, the Department advised the PSA that a new policy is currently underway on the issue. The PSA will receive the draft policy for consultation from the Department which will then be sent to all members for feedback.
The PSA will hold a members’ meeting following the release of the draft policy by the Department for consultation with the PSA.
DC Delegate contacts
David Gould Delegate Committee Chair
Stewart Burkitt Delegate Committee Secretary