As you may know, Radio Operations Group (ROG) recently advertised for 25 Senior Communication Officer (SCO) positions around the state.

This is only thanks to strong advocacy from your union and your delegates. ROG had been letting these positions sit vacant for years, which stopped any promotional opportunities for radio operators.

Our members, your delegates, and we here at the PSA have remained strong with the opinion that the SCO role is important and necessary for radio to perform its vital role for the community.

These positions retain the 25 per cent leave loading, despite management’s claims these positions could not be advertised unless that condition was removed.

Management believed they would be successful in holding the workplace entitlement hostage, much like they did with the Shift Co-Ordinator leave loading whilst we were negotiating full-time staff at ROG.

They were wrong.

People should also be mindful of disinformation: all Communications Officers can apply for the SCO position, not just people on the year four increment. Radio operators should not hesitate to apply for the position if they feel they deserve it; Radio Operators are a skilled group of people and length of service can’t compare with skills obtained performing the role.

As per the award;

5.6      Appointment of persons to a position of Senior Communications Officer shall be subject to the occurrence of a vacancy and selection under the principles of merit based promotion.   Persons eligible for appointment as a Senior Communications Officer shall be limited to:

1. (a)       Communications Officers who have at least attained the fourth year increment and have completed the Senior Communications Officer training course; or
2. (b)       Officers employed under the Police Act 1990 or the Government Sector Employment Act 2013 who, in the opinion of the Commissioner or his/her delegate, possess skills and qualifications equivalent to those in paragraph (a) of this subclause.