The quarterly Joint Consultative Committee meeting (JCC) was held on 17 September 2024 for the South West Sydney (SWS) District and was attended by Public Service Association (PSA) Industrial Staff, your elected Delegates and DCJ leadership.

This meeting serves as an important platform for discussions on various matters affecting our members in this District. Below are the key highlights:

Flexible working arrangements

PSA raised concerns in relation to feedback from members who have experienced inconsistent information and direction in relation to flexible working practices across the district. Your EDD confirmed DCJ supports flexible working practices and encourages staff to speak with their direct line managers for individual requests. Flexible working arrangements can include working from the office 3 days a week, seeking approval to work from an office closest to their location and flexible start/finish times and days in the office (in line with frontline business needs being met).

Accommodation

The talk of the town has been the Premier’s directive to return to the office. For SWS it’s business as usual and individual flexible working arrangements remain the same. Agile working spaces mean no one owns a desk within an office and staff need to continue to book desks to demonstrate office spaces are being fully utilised. If a desk is no longer required, it needs to be cancelled.

Learning and Development

Delegates raised the issue of Caseworkers wanting increased learning and development opportunities. Currently the ‘Hands Up’ program is the only option and not all Caseworkers want to move into the Manager Casework role. Feedback from members has highlighted for those preferring to seek opportunities in roles such as Casework Specialists or Permanency Coordinators that there is no clear pathway.

DCJ leadership undertook to canvass strategies on making these pathways more visible and encourage staff to discuss career goals and objectives with their direct line managers.

*As a reminder all PSA members are directed not to complete their Performance Development Plan (PDP) including participation in the E-Learning modules or take part in any Performance Development Program planning or implementation activities.

The Career Plan section and Performance Development Career Planning Tool are exempt to allow members to include and formalise developmental goals. This is to encourage secondments and acting opportunities. Although the direction allows exemption for Performance Development Career Planning, this does not default to it being mandatory – it is your choice.

Overtime and Increments

In a cost of living crisis, PSA have been informed members in SWS have experienced lengthy delays in their overtime and yearly increments being approved and paid. DCJ leadership agreed overtime should be paid without any delays and is preferential to time in lieu, as the district needs Caseworkers seeing children.

If members are experiencing these delays, individual issues should be raised directly with the Business Management mail box. If in doubt, reach out to your local Delegate or Organiser to escalate your matter with DCJ leadership.

Financial Submissions

Members have raised ongoing issues with financial plans for children and young people in care are regularly declined and costs removed from plans, in marked contrast to practices in previous years. This is impacting the ability of Caseworkers to do their jobs and confusion about what to put in financial plans vs contingency submissions. Ultimately this is resulting in extensive delays in approvals for Case Plans as well. DCJ advised work has been done around a streamlined form and instruction sheet for financial plans and will forward this to PSA Delegates for feedback. Stay tuned.

Professional Judgement Measuring Change Assessment tool

Delegates expressed concern with the high speed roll out of the new assessment tool and worries in relation to the quality of the training provided via Thrive and Webinars to Caseworkers and Management. Changes to team structures were made with minimal consultation with staff which has created significant stress and concerns of increased workloads. PSA directs members to utilise a workload planner and provide feedback in relation to the new assessment tool to their direct line managers and SWS leadership.

Visibility of EDD and Directors

Delegates advised staff are unaware of who’s who in the executive leadership team despite them regularly stationing themselves at (Community Services Centre’s) CSCs. Your EDD Paul Garrahy welcomes Delegates to send him an invitation to attend your unit meetings where he is happy to answer any questions or concerns from Child Protection staff.

Industrial action for the Child Protection in Crisis Campaign

PSA raised the alarming experience of members in some SWS CSCs where management pushed back in relation to those participating in the half day strike. A reminder to all members that Clause 64 of the Crown Employees (Public Service Conditions of Employment) Award 2009 states that “There will be no victimisation of staff members prior to, during or following industrial action”.

The ongoing Child Protection in Crisis campaign’s goal is for better pay and increased resources to ensure the children and young people of NSW receive intervention and support to keep them safe. PSA has written formally to DCJ in relation to this management behaviour and any member who has experienced any form of victimisation is encouraged to contact PSA.

The next JCC meeting is scheduled for 17 December 2024. Members are encouraged to speak to their local Delegates to raise any issues and have your voices heard.

PSA Industrial Staff

Member Support Centre – 1800 772 679

Industrial Officer
Graydon Welsh

Senior Organiser
Belinda Tsirekas