IRC orders living award variation to include rostering principles – November 2018 (PDF version)

The Industrial Relations Commission (IRC), on 30 August 2017, agreed with the PSA CPSU NSW and ordered the Community Living Award (CLA) to be varied to include the Rostering Principles. This means any act in contravention of the Rostering Principles is a breach of the CLA.

Members are advised to consult the varied CLA (available HERE) to clarify situations relating to your employment conditions and the rostering principles.

One of the issues of concern to members is the filling of vacant shifts both for vacant shifts not exceeding five working days and vacant shifts exceeding five days. The Rostering Principles state:

“For vacancies not exceeding 5 days are to be filled in the following order:

1. Additional hours offered to permanent and/or temporary part-time employees.
2. Engagement of casual employees at ordinary rates, i.e. not overtime work.
3. Overtime
4. Agency staff.

For vacancies exceeding 5 days are to be filled in the following order:

1. Permanent part-time staff to be offered a temporary increase in hours.
2. New temporary contract of employment or variation of contract for existing temporary staff or may be administered by way of payment of additional hours.
3. Casual employees at ordinary rates (not overtime).
4. Overtime
5. Agency staff.”

In both instances, engagement of agency staff is the last resort for filling of vacancies. 

Members are encouraged to raise any breach of the Rostering Principles initially with their supervisor and if there is no resolution, contact the PSA/CPSU at .

Want to arrange for an Organiser to attend your team meeting?

Send your request to:

What can you do in the meantime?

You can support the work of the PSA CPSU NSW by asking your colleagues to JOIN their union.

Having your union and its collective strength behind you in the workplace is the only way to make sure you get fair outcomes.