As members will be aware, the PSA recently lodged a dispute in the Industrial Relations Commission (IRC) regarding the change in Primary Locations impacting members affected by the Customer Complaints Function (CCF) Restructure.
We attended the IRC on 15 April 2024 and understood from there that Service NSW would consider adding Newcastle to the list of potential sites that could be designated a Hub, along with McKell, Parramatta and Gosford.
PSA were extremely unimpressed when your employer sent out a communication that did not have Newcastle included in the list, without bothering to inform us that they had decided to walk back that option.
PSA returned to the IRC on Monday 6 May. Your employer advised the Commission that Newcastle had been put into the mix late in the day in the process, they were not optimistic that it would be a viable option but were still working on it and couldn’t commit to it at this time.
PSA requested 2 weeks to discuss the matter further between the parties, which was agreed to and the matter was listed for a further report back on Monday 20 May 2024.
Late last week your employer proposed a compromise position where there would be no change to the current Primary Location/Headquarters being Sydney, Parramatta and Gosford (ie no addition of Newcastle) and Service NSW would reimburse regionally based employees attending their HQ for the first 3 months. Leaving employees to pay their own travel costs thereafter.
Affected members received an update from your Industrial Officer on 16 May 2024 and a member meeting was organised for 17 May 2024.
As a result of feedback from members, PSA accepted the compromise position in the IRC on 20 May 2024 and the matter was dismissed by the Commission under Section 174(a) of the Industrial Relations Act 1996.
To confirm, the transition period for successful regionally based employees will start from the commencement date of the go live of the CCF structure and will end after three (3) months. After the transition period, employees will be expected to pay for their own travel when they are required to attend their headquarters as outlined within the SNSW Award.
Obviously, PSA is not thrilled with this outcome. Not only is this a financial impost on members, it also does nothing to help the State Government’s regionalisation policy.
We will continue to pursue avenues on your behalf.