PSA / CSO: All Members Meeting – Tuesday 28 May 2024
The PSA provides this bulletin to members to provide a report back on a recent meeting with the Crown Solicitors Office management team.
1. Realignment
PSA industrial staff, along with your local Delegate for the Crown Solicitors Office (CSO) met at management’s request on 2024.05.15 to consult about a proposed realignment across two practice groups.
This realignment flows from permanent appointments of two directors at the CSO. The realignment looks to improve synergies and decrease overlap of functions across those teams.
Key takeaways from today’s meeting with CSO management are:
- No job losses
There are no job losses in this realignment. CSO advise that there will be additional roles and there is an intention to recruit as part of the realignment.
- Staff consultation
Your preferences will be considered. CSO acknowledge that some affected staff may prefer to continue to concentrate on their areas of expertise and interest.Your management team were keen to accommodate staff legal mavens who hold particular interest in the legal work undertaken on the affected practice groups.
The PSA also raised that members may wish to increase the variety of legal work they are performing. CSO agreed that it would continue to consider staff-initiated rotation to avoid pigeonholing and gain expertise in other elements of legal work.
- Smooth and painless transition
CSO intend that there will be minimal disruption to work allocations to ensure these teams will continue to work efficiently and effectively.
PSA members are encouraged to make their preferences known as soon as possible so that CSO management can best accommodate you into the new teams.
To facilitate consultation, the PSA invites all members to join your CSO colleagues to discuss the realignment and other industrial issues.
The PSA will collate member feedback to raise concerns with CSO. Any feedback shared with CSO will be anonymous.
2. CSO Flex Award
At this meeting, the PSA confirmed that it intends to write to the CSO to commence discussions on a CSO Flex Award.
The starting point for a new CSO Flex Award will be based on making minor adjustments to the recent ODPP Flex Award.
It is expected that the PSA letter will be provided to CSO in the week commencing 20 May 2024.
3. PSA / CSO JCC
The next Joint Consultative Committee (JCC) with CSO and the PSA is scheduled for Thursday, 23 May 2024.
Any industrial issues raised by members on Wednesday can be discussed with CSO management at JCC the following day.
4. PSA / CSO Member Meeting information – Tuesday 28 May 2024
Agenda:
- Report back on the realignment of T1 and T2
- Paralegal Functional Review
- CSO Flex Award
- General Business
Date: Tuesday 28 May 2024
Time: 1:00pm
Venue: CSO-L9.1 Kosciuszko (CR8VC) and for those working remotely, via MSTeams link follows.
Microsoft Teams meeting
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Meeting ID: 427 246 410 73
Passcode: 45Z68z
Your local CSO Delegates are:
The PSA is keen to have good local representation. The union is keen to hear from members who may wish to become more active as a local Delegate.
Paid leave for union training is available. If you would like to discuss the role of a workplace delegate, feel free to approach any of the union contacts for more information.
Your PSA Staff are:
PSA Industrial Officer
Anthony Wright
PSA Industrial Manager
Thane Pearce