Labour Hire – SARA – Bulletin November 2018

As you’ll recall last month PSA industrial staff and your delegate met with management and brought to its attention our reasons on why we suspect labour hire staff – contractors or contingent labour – are acting in supervisory positions at SARA. That is, we suspected these labour hire staff were acting in supervisory positions and allocating work and approving the leave of public servants.

We were given explicit assurances from management that no contractors within SARA are, or have been, exercising power, authority or duty – namely, financial, administrative or HR delegations.

Now, a month-and-a-half later, it would seem that may not be entirely accurate.

The PSA remains concerned however that there presently is one or more labour hire staff acting in managerial or supervisory roles at SARA – creating rosters, checking work, and giving directions and advice.

The fact is if short-term acting positions are being offered to labour hire personnel then it serves to demoralise existing public servants – who must get the first opportunity.

If it is happening it needs to stop.

Labour hire staff cannot act in any supervisory position and does not have the ability to exercise any administrative or financial delegations as per:

• The Crown Employees (Public Service Conditions of Employment) Reviewed Award 2009;
• The Government Sector Employment Act 2013;
• The Public Finance and Audit Act 1983

If any member has knowledge of labour hire staff exercising financial, administrative or HR delegation’s functions, please contact the PSA – it’s completely confidential.

The PSA will immediately bring such examples to the Industrial Relations Commission.

PSA Industrial Officer
Matthew Drake-Brockman
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PSA Delegate
Richard Xuereb

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