Further to our last bulletin regarding the short sighted decision to close Penrith ROC and force staff who want to remain employed to relocate to Surry Hills, the PSA has lodged a dispute with the Industrial Relations Commission, which will be heard this Wednesday 24 November 2021. The dispute has been lodged on the basis of a lack of any meaningful consultation around the “proposal”.
In addition to action in the IRC, the PSA is holding a community meeting/rally at Penrith RSL this Thursday 25 November 2021 from 5:00pm, as pressure grows on the Police Force to rethink the rash decision to close Penrith Radio Operations Centre.
The “proposal”, which flies in the face of years of policy bringing jobs to Western Sydney, was rushed through with zero consultation. A significant number of affected Communications Officers from Penrith will be forced to find other employment, placing crippling stress on a Radio Operations system which is already suffering from a staffing crisis. Serious WHS concerns, including around fatigue management, have been left unaddressed.
A further problem is that with staff from two centres crammed together in Surry Hills, a single COVID infection could take out half the state’s radio operators for days. This flies in the face of prudent disaster management techniques, which favour decentralisation of resources to provide redundancy.
Local member and Minister for Western Sydney, Stuart Ayres, has responded to desperate requests for assistance from constituents by washing his hands of the issue and passing the buck to Police Minister David Elliott. The issue has received attention in local and state newspapers and on talk-back radio. A wave of opposition to this short-sighted measure is building in the local area. The PSA will be making sure that the pressure is maintained and seek to reverse the decision.
All affected staff, together with their families and friends, are urged to attend the rally at Penrith RSL at 5pm on Thursday 25 November. Staff from all centres are welcome, as this will affect everyone. A large turnout will show Police and the public just how determined and disgusted Communications Officers are at this outrageous decision.
The PSA will also be attending the Penrith Radio Room after the meeting to speak to the radio operators who cannot make it.
At the IRC on Wednesday, the PSA will be demanding a delay in implementation of the decision to allow proper consultation and consideration of the many serious problems which closure of Penrith ROC will cause.
If you have questions (or suggestions) contact:
Or one of your local delegates, which are:
Penrith: John Hughes or Paul Bradley
Sydney: Michael Petersen
Newcastle: Bree Bell
Oak Flats: Trish Kudric
Tamworth: Flick Collison
We also have a Facebook group for radio operators:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/policecommspsansw/
Know a non-member? Ask them to join today!!
This type of action is only possible due to a strong membership within ROG: If you or one of your colleagues wishes to join, please go to http://www.psa.asn.au/join