PSA News – 27 April 2016
PSA members in Home Care win the right to keep their union
The Fair Work Commission (FWC) has ruled the SPSF/CPSU can alter its rules to allow the PSA to maintain its representation of Home Care workers transferring to the private sector.
Thanks to the PSA’s new structures and evidence-based approach, your union’s officials were able to provide critical information that was crucial to the case.
This input was referenced in the judge’s decision.
The following delegates gave vital evidence on behalf of you and your union and we would like to warmly thank them:
Grisel Galiano
Tania Shipman
The PSA is focused on ensuring the conditions we protected through the privatisation process are defended beyond the two year protection period.
TAFE members to strike on Thursday 28 April
PSA members in the TAFE system will go on strike on Thursday April 28 in protest over the education provider’s proposal to slash working conditions.
TAFENSW is refusing to back down on its plans, even after staff overwhelmingly voted NO to their slashed conditions in September 2015.
The proposals include:
- An increase in weekly working hours for 80% of the workforce, from 35 to 36.25 hours, for no extra pay
- A refusal to pay a back-dated pay increase, despite not receiving a rise since July 2014
- Removal of Rostered Days Off
Further, there is no agreement in place which protects staff that transfer to the new classification structure from having their salary downgraded.
Also, there is no agreement to protect current permanent positions from being converted to permanent part year with up to 22 weeks of forced unpaid leave.
Staff will stop work for three hours from 1:00-4:00pm.
All TAFE PSA members are directed to participate.
All other members are encouraged to lend their support at their local TAFE.
The main rally in Sydney will be at Ultimo TAFE, Sydney (Harris Street entrance)
Members should meet out the front of their college grounds and post a photo of their group with the hashtag #SaveOurTAFE on social media platforms, or send them to
March for May Day
Join us at May Day – Sunday 1 May 2016
For more than 125 years, May Day has been a day when Australians remember the victories of the past while preparing for campaigns ahead.
Join us as we send a clear message to the Baird and Turnbull Government that we stand in solidarity at this crucial time.
The May Day march in Sydney will be followed by a family fun day at Victoria Park, full of rides, food stalls, singing, dancing, laughing and above all else community solidarity.
Assemble at Belmore Park at 11.00am for the march to Victoria Park at 11.30am.
The PSA will have a stall on the day with the theme of “I love public services” and we will create a powerful, physical representation of the support for public services with a sea of hearts display.
Wear your favourite PSA campaign t-shirt and join us this Sunday at Belmore Park.
We hope to see you there. RSVP at
Spread the word – view and print the flyer HERE
For details of the May Day festivities in the Hunter click HERE
For details of festivities in the Illawarra click HERE
Knock for a better tomorrow
Every Saturday from 30 April until election day, Unions NSW will be door-knocking marginal seats, talking to people about issues that will change votes.
Join in and have a conversation with the community about the importance of defending public services.
For a full list of coming events, click HERE
The real shirkers
A report by lobby group GetUp has exposed the loopholes used by corporate tax dodgers.
Closing the Caribbean Connection found:
- Australia lost $5.37 billion to corporate tax dodging from just 76 foreign multinationals in 2013 and 2014
- these billionaire corporations pay a lower effective tax rate than your average nurse
- big pharmaceutical corporations paid the lowest effective tax rate at just 5.7 percent, compared to 7.5 percent for high-tech corporations and 20 percent for energy corporations
- there are two major loopholes that are being exploited by multinational corporations: Debt Loading and Profit Alienation, and effective policy solutions to both of these loopholes have recently been implemented in Hong Kong and Britain.
The report claims 76 corporations withheld enough money from the public purse to restore the $650 million ripped from Medicare, $1 billion from aged care, $500 million from Indigenous services, $240 million from the Rental Affordability Scheme – with $2.4 billion left over to spend elsewhere.
To view the report and download an email template to contact your MP, click HERE.
