Prison Officers Vocational Branch

The POVB is the Prison Officers Vocational Branch of the PSA, representing all non-commissioned Correctional Officers, Overseers and Casual Correctional Officers.

What has the POVB acheived?

Your union knows gaols operate best when they are run by the state. The PSA and POVB have played an instrumental role in getting Parklea Correctional Centre back under the control of Corrective Services NSW. The union and branch also managed to get the first purpose-built private gaol, Junee, to be moved to state control.

The PSA and POVB set up a legal fund to protect members at work from crippling legal bills. The POVB Legal Fund has helped thousands of Officers defend themselves against frivolous charges from inmates.

The PSA and POVB have fought against prison closures and pressed the State Government to boost the protection of staff in our gaols.

How is the POVB structured?

The unique work conducted by POVB Members in the NSW prison system requires a practical degree of autonomy in managing its industrial affairs. The PSA acknowledges the Management Committee of the POVB, in conjunction with PSA Central Council, as the decision-making and policy making body of the POVB. The State Executive of the POVB shall  manage the affairs of the POVB in between meetings of the Management Committee. The Chairperson of the POVB has day-to-day control of the affairs of the POVB and shall convene all meetings and activities of the State Executive and Management Committee.

The POVB prides itself of having strength in numbers and density in membership, and our Delegates’ and Members’ unified approach in fighting for safety and security in our often very dangerous work environment. The POVB motto “we face what you fear” is what unifies members.

Nearly every Correctional Officer working in a NSW public correctional facility is a POVB member. Currently the POVB is more than 6000 members strong, which is between 98 and 99 per cent of all Officers. All POVB members are attached to a POVB Sub-Branch.

There are currently 54 POVB Sub-Branches, consisting of Correctional Centres, Court Escort Security Units, Medical Escort Units and specialised units in Security & Intelligence. Each POVB Sub-Branch conducts annual elections of Delegates and has paid monthly POVB meetings, where all POVB Members within the Sub-Branch can attend and raise important workplace issues.

POVB Delegates from each Sub-Branch are the backbone of our union, and take many issues to management to ensure safety, security and fairness in our workplaces. POVB members typically raise issues with their local Delegates and in most cases those issues are resolved locally.

Twice a year, the Chairpersons from each of the 54 POVB Sub-Branches meet and form the POVB Management Committee – the decision-making body of the POVB. Changes to the POVB Rules can only be amended by the POVB Management Committee and all major issues relating to the POVB are raised in that forum to the Commissioner of CSNSW.