Most members would have seen the Update to Schools from the NSW Department of Education Secretary Wednesday 19 October 2022 in relation to new permanent roles for temporary teachers and support staff and extra administrative support click HERE.

The PSA has written to the Department seeking clarification as to the Ministers 16 October Press release, specifically the PSA seeks advice as to a detailed proposal to convert temporary School Learning Support Officers (SLSO) roles into permanent positions.

Your union would like to know:

• Which permanent positions?
• In which schools they are to be created and the process that will enable temporary PSA members to become permanent?

The PSA also expects that current long term temporary SASS be maintained in employment until the details of this proposal are finalised and that members are given an opportunity to gain a permanent position.

The PSA has requested that consultation meetings be established to negotiate the process to be implemented in 2023 to enable thousands of PSA SLSO members to finally gain permanency with the NSW Department of Education.

Additional staff development days

On 10 October Schools were advised that there will be an additional staff development day in 2022 and 2023 for all teaching staff.

The Departments advice was, “The Department has added two school development days for all school staff on 19 December 2022 and 18 December 2023. This is to recognise the impact of COVID-19 disruption on professional learning and development.”

Whilst this is highly commendable the PSA requested at the 17 October Joint Consultative Meeting clarification that these two additional days will apply to all NSW Public schools Non-teaching staff, as COVID-19 equally disrupted PSA members’ training and development opportunities.

It is also apparent that certain members, especially SLSOs are at times requested to do mandatory online training in their own time. This is unacceptable and members are directed to ONLY do this training within work time. These additional two days would greatly assist all PSA members in getting training up to date.

PSA SASS Award pay increase

The PSA Member Support Centre and Organsiers have been receiving numerous enquiries as to when the 2022 SASS Award pay increases will be paid to members.

The PSA advises that the department confirmed formally on 14 October that “the salary increase awarded by the Full Bench of the Industrial Relations Commission will be processed and paid in accordance with the decision. The increases, including back pay, will be processed in the pay period ending 27 October 2022 with an effective date from the first full pay period on or after 15 July 2022.”

If members have any concerns or seek PSA support please contact the Member Support Centre on 1800 772 679 or email .