LMBR – urgent update
Members employed in the 229 Empowering Local Schools implementation pilot were directed to impose bans on day one, term one, 2014.
Following the PSA implementing work bans on the Learning Management Business Reform, the Department lodged an Industrial Dispute in the NSW Industrial Relations Commission (NSWIRC). A compulsory conference was held on 20 December.
As a result of the PSA’s representations, the Deputy Director General, Peter Riordan has involved himself directly in the LMBR project, however, the PSA maintains that the Department has failed to properly address the fundamental issues and concerns that have been raised by the PSA on your behalf.
Members are now circulating emails regarding the extreme duress which LMBR has created, including:
- excessive workloads;
- ongoing system issues;
- misinformation from the Shared Service Centre; and
- a lack of face to face support and training.
As your union, we rang the Department to again lobby on your behalf for a strategy to be put in place by the Department to fix these issues. As a result, the Department has promised to contact all 229 schools on Monday 17 or Tuesday 18 March.
NEXT STEPS
The PSA advises members that when you are contacted on Monday or Tuesday by a member of the LMBR project team, you should advise the Department of the difficulties and workload problems you face daily as a result of LMBR. You need to tell the Department that you support the PSA’s efforts to secure the following outcomes for you:
1. halt any further rollout of the LMBR processes until the system becomes fully functional
2. an increase in on-site training
3. additional casual relief to assist with the unacceptable workloads.
The Department has advised the PSA that those schools which require urgent attention are to contact Ms Sorcha O’Neill – Senior Officer Service Delivery Corporate Services on 9561 1218. The PSA strongly urges members to contact Ms O’Neill because the department needs to understand the seriousness of the issues. The more calls Ms O’Neill receives, the clearer the message.
UNION DIRECTION – TAKE ACTION
Members in the 229 Schools
PSA members working in 229 schools are to contact the PSA at to advise us whether the staffing mix at your school has been changed, and whether you believe more resources are needed.
WHS Incident Report
Where members are experiencing issues such as anxiety, depression, or other health conditions as a result of the extreme workload and dysfunction of the LMBR system, the PSA directs members to lodge an Employee incident or injury notification under the Work Health and Safety Act by contacting the Hotline on 1800 811 523 (8am to 5:00pm) or by lodging an electronic form via the Departmental intranet. (This is NOT a workers compensation claim.) Members who do this are asked to advise the PSA.
Work to Rule – ALL PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN NSW
Direction to Work to Rule, that is, do not work any additional hours and work strictly to your statement of duties.
This situation has developed because the department has exploited your goodwill and commitment to students and school community. If you continue to volunteer your time and work outside of your statement of duties, then there is no impetus on the Department to fix these problems and your situation will not only continue but possibly worsen. We call on all PSA members, not just those working in the 229 schools, to work to rule to support your colleagues in the 229 schools.
Why should you do this?
Because if this problem is not fixed within the 229 schools then you’re next.
Get involved
All members who are angry about this situation should join the PSA’s LMBR Local Schools Local Decisions Campaign in supporting your right to reasonable workloads and future job security. You can do this by emailing your details to or ringing the PSA’s Member Support Centre on 1300 772 679 and tell them you want to join the PSA’s campaign in Schools.
Well done!
The PSA congratulates our members who have taken a stand. We urge all members to join them.
