SBAR budget review Term 2 2024

This is the current state of play following yesterday’s meeting with the Minister and Secretary, attending for the PSA General Secretary Stewart Little, Senior Vice President Juliette Sizer and PSA Schools Industrial staff on behalf of NSW Public school non-teaching staff members.

The PSA has been advised approximately 100 long term temporary school staff (SASS & Teachers) have been given notice during the last week of term 1. These Principals have jumped the gun so to say. The SBAR budget review and any consequent staffing reductions are to be identified between week 6 – 8 term 2. District Educational Leaders are having webinar sessions this week from the Secretary and Deputy Secretary Public Schools who will advise of the directions to Principals as to the requirements of the review. Staff reductions are to be of last resort the required 1.25% budget savings are to be made from non-learning program’s in the first instance. The annual school staffing operation will also occur concurrently in accordance with the Departments School Administrative and Support staffing policy and the NSW Teachers Staffing agreement.

Please note that the separate SBAR budget review is to occur for each school except for those schools exempted as per the Secretary’s 9 April announcements (small schools, SSP’s and IEC’s). Communication from the department Leadership will be sent to school principals and affected staff shortly outlining the directions as to the review. Any Long-term temp’s impacted will be notified if their role at current school is to end and offered advice and assistance to find another vacancy within their Network.

PSA would also like confirmation regarding any offers of severance to impacted staff who may not be able to be placed in another vacant temporary position with the department. This is to avoid unnecessary further Unfair Dismissal applications to the NSW Industrial Relations Commission. As non-teaching SAS staff (PSA members) are not eligible to Redundancy provisions afforded to other NSW Public sector employees and workers within the Fair Work jurisdiction.

Once we have further information on the impacts of the SBAR budget review we will forward a member Bulletin.

Other issues of concern raised by the PSA: –

• TWT Tranche 2 Schools staff permanency – this project is still on the agenda and is proposed to occur after the SBAR budget review and its impacts are finalised at a later date subject to further advice from the Secretary.
• 2024 Crown Employees SASS Award negotiations- PSA has requested urgent written advice from the Minister as to when the Education department will be given approval to commence negotiations.

Need a PSA Organiser to visit your school or a PSA Members schools network teams meeting please contact or contact 1800 772 679 Member Support Centre.

PSA Industrial staff

Industrial Manager – Julie-Ann Bond

Industrial Officer – Greg Shaw Senior

Industrial Officer – Sharny Chalmers

Organiser – Ann Attwater

Organiser – Marisa Bosco

Organiser – Susan Chee Quee

Organiser – Alison Crittenden

GA Organiser – Peta Noke