POVB bulletin

COVID-19

The Command Post is working on the following issues:

Section 23s and only essential moves – the Executive has expressed concern that there is still a large amount of escorts taking place around the state. The concern is why are the moves taking place when fresh custodies have decreased dramatically and the demand for beds has decreased.
Once there is a decision on this we will put it in a bulletin.
Processes/Guidelines for what Governors and staff actually have to do when the centre has a confirmed case. At present there is no such information.
Staff “grooming” – we are getting information that inmates have started to try to groom staff to bring in contraband for money. The Command Post is looking at processes and communication to staff to promote professionalism and to report the inappropriate contact by inmates immediately to managers. The POVB Executive do not, in any way, condone members who assist inmates in getting contraband. Please, before you find yourselves in a situation that will affect you and your families for the rest of your lives, report it to managers or a member of the Executive. Let’s work and stay united through this time.
Clarification was given to Natalie Howes in the Command Post on the contact tracing. Many members were concerned that it was conducted by Justice Health. It has been confirmed that it is by Population Health, NSW Health. They have very stringent protocols and the main one is that the contact has to be longer than 15 minutes and within the 1.5 meters.
Natalie has advised she is in the process of developing a paper that will be a ‘how to Guide’ if someone calls the centre and says they have tested positive. This should be out tomorrow and is aimed at Govs/MOSs/FMs and those acting into FMs at any given time. There is already a really stringent tracking process in place by Population Health, however we are attempting to add another layer to this by giving Population Health as much information as possible in regards to rosters and possible interactions and assisting managers in what their obligations are in relation to notifying all involved parties.

COVID-19 and CESU

The process of redeploying staff to locations, taking into account their preferences, was completed on Wednesday. From all accounts the redeployment of staff was not to the scale as first envisaged.

The majority of staff got their first preference. We hope the transition for staff to centres and other locations is as seamless as possible. Members can contact us if they have any issues. We want to make it clear that the redeployment is only whilst we are working through COVID-19. As operations come back online staff will be redeployed back into their original locations.

COVID-19 and casuals

Due to the decrease in operations around the state and fundamentally with CESU locations, casuals have been taken off their TEs at those locations. This had to happen due to the changes in court operations and associated staff reductions and redeployments.

Casuals should now be allocated to centres to work shifts when called. At present there is probably not a lot of shifts going. We understand that this is difficult for many of our casual members.

It is projected that with school holidays, staff having to self-isolate and probable confirmed cases in centres, the need for casuals will increase.

We are writing to CSNSW to see if it has registered with the ATO for staff to possibly claim the Jobkeeper payment.

When we get further clarification on the this we will put it out in a bulletin.

COVID-19 and HR

We have written to HR asking for answers to the following:

Sick Leave restrictions – we have requested that during the COVID-19 crisis that reviews on sick leave are ceased due to staff having to self-isolate and staff being concerned about sick leave.
Increments – during the period of COVID-19 we have asked that leave for self-isolation not be taken into account.
Casual to Permanent – during the period of COVID-19 we have asked that leave for self-isolation not be taken into account.

We are still waiting on a response. We are aware that CSNSW is working on the response so once we get it we will put out the details in a bulletin.

Access to Coles and Woolworths Hour for Emergency Services

Many members have stated they have had trouble in some locations gaining access to this initiative. PSA General Secretary Stewart Little has had communication with Commissioner Peter Severin on the matter. Mr Severin is working on this for staff to get access across the state.

Mental health

CSNSW is facing a crisis that has never been as great. Staff have recently gone through many reforms and are now working and trying to manage the crisis in their personal and professional lives.

Members who find that they are not coping or just need someone to talk to please do not hesitate in contacting Welfare Officer Trish O’Brien at or on her mobile listed in the contact details below.

Trish and the Executive will also assist any staff member who is self-isolating and needing groceries or assistance with lawns etc. The family of blue is willing to assist anyone in need. Please do not go through this on your own.

Increments

Many members had issues with their increments and a spreadsheet of affected members was compiled and sent to CSNSW HR. We were set to meet CSNSW for our Consultative this week but due to restrictions on meetings this has now been cancelled.

We will table our issues in writing and get a response back. One of the issues tabled is where the increment issue is up to.

Once we have more information we will communicate it out in a bulletin.

Contact details

Nicole Jess Chairperson
0427 609 199

Jason Charlton Vice Chairperson
0401 500 976

Amanda Cotter Secretary
0404 042 600

Thor Sutherland Assistant Secretary
0447 633 476

Darren King Country Vice Chair
0407 935 039

Natalie Howes Country Vice Chair
0407 011 441

David McCauley POVB Industrial Officer
0419 022 767

David Bartle POVB Industrial Officer
0418 425 976

Trish O’Brien Welfare Officer
0412 120 391

Youth Justice: COVID-19 update

Up to date: Thursday 5pm 26 March 2020

Communications from COVID Command Centre

The Department and the union are investing significant resources to try and keep COVID-19 exposure in our workplaces as minimal as possible through the establishment of a COVID Command Centre. This Command Centre is providing daily updates and progressively issuing instructions and specific procedures to assist in resolving incidents.

The PSA is also asking for all Coronavirus Command communications to be put on the intranet page to ensure staff are aware of measures being taken. The PSA is also being updated by daily teleconference call on status of COVID-19 across YJ by the Duty Commander.

A dedicated YJ CP COVID-19 mailbox to address staff concerns or questions has been set up, you will be able to contact the Command Post at: .

Advice on testing: good news

We are yet to see the official advice on the Health Department website. However, the National Cabinet last week provided amended advice that priority testing for COVID-19 has been extended to people involved in high risk communities – this includes corrections and youth justice – who suffer respiratory symptoms.

This is good news for all Corrective Services and Youth Justice staff. Rather than being forced to go into a number of rounds of 14-day self-isolation as workers get exposed to more and more people with confirmed COVID-19, they will now be able to access the swab test and get results within days – current testing speed is within days but expected to become faster – reducing unnecessary leave and reducing pressure on our workmates who will have to fill the void in testing times.

Movement logs

There is agreement with the Department that all movements will be logged to enable better contact tracing in the event of infection within the system. Whilst this is extra work, the importance of this task is essential in the case of infection, and further isolation to prevent COVID-19 disbursement.

Frequently asked questions: social distancing

Corrective Services and Youth Justice are currently exempted from the social distancing requirements under NSW Health Orders. However, under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011, the Department is required to eliminate and then minimise risks to workers’ health and safety. We are all, however, aware the Youth Justice environment is a high-risk environment for this contagious pandemic influenza, and that staff pose one of the more significant risks of bringing the virus into workplaces. Social distancing may be a key strategy to maintain worker safety and to maintain business continuity in the case of an infection in the custodial environment.

Therefore, we are recommending the following in line with federal and state health recommendations whilst trying to maintain four-square-metre spaces where possible:

All security procedures should be followed as a priority in safety over infection measures due to the larger risk involved with detainees in custody.
If required to undertake security measures that put you at risk of infection, appropriate PPE should be provided.
Review local procedures to avoid unnecessary exposure where possible, including through amendment of risks no longer necessary in consultation with your management.
That all non-essential meetings utilise social distancing or digital communication to avoid risk of infection.
If you are suffering respiratory symptoms- do not go to work!
For community staff look at creating teams of staff and not having them not physically in the same space or utilise working from home arrangements.
Regularly undertake hygiene measures such as cleaning hands.
All workplaces should be increasing their cleaning regime.

Frequently asked questions: workers’ compensation and COVID-19

The union and the Department have worked on mechanisms to get special leave for all workers affected by COVID-19 under the Premier’s Circular 2020-01. This support with your Medicare system, which unions also fought for and won, should provide most workers with their immediate health and income needs. There are however, concerns for PSA members if they do get infected, that the recovery time for COVID-19 can be longer for some people than just a few weeks.

Doctors have been reporting cases overseas state that a small number of patients have experienced lung scaring and delayed recovery. There is no uniform answer for whether workers’ compensation will cover workers in every situation. There is a legal requirement for liability to be accepted under Workers’ Compensation Act 1987, that a causal nexus must exist between work and the injury/illness, and for diseases liability that the illness was acquired in the course of work and work was the main contributing factor.

Therefore, by maintaining a movement log (as above), this may assist members undertake contact tracing as required from NSW Health and may have the advantage of assisting to prove workers compensation liability in the circumstance when other leave is exhausted and a member needs the assistance.

You PSA contact on the seven-day YJ Command Centre is:

Gino DiCandilo Industrial Officer

COVID-19 update: non-custodial Corrective Services

The current pandemic has created unprecedented challenges for members working in non-custodial roles with CSNSW. Every member should be congratulated and rightly proud of the work they have done in the face of these challenges. You provide a critical service to the state, even if it’s not always as visible to the community as your colleagues in other emergency services.

Command Post

PSA Industrial Staff liaise with the Command Post, including involvement in the daily briefings. Matters can be raised here where not being addressed adequately on a local level.

Social distancing and work practices

Whilst prisons are technically exempt from the Government’s social distancing orders, this does not mean you are working in a business-as-usual environment; quite the opposite. Your work still needs to be done but adaptations need to be made to minimise risk to yourselves and others. For example, this might include reducing the number of people together in a room at any one time, which would impact how programs and classes are delivered. Every centre is different and we encourage you to work with your fellow members, your local delegates, and local management in addressing these issues appropriately. Per below, feel free to pass on feedback to NCDC delegates.

Work from home/at-risk members

The PSA is aware a number of members are more at risk than others due to issues such as health, age, and risk category of dependents. Your union has been assisting many members in accessing suitable arrangement over the past fortnight. Every reasonable effort should be made to provide working from home arrangement for those members. To make this happen as efficiently as possible, you will need a current medical certificate detailing, as clearly as possible, your specific medical risk in continuing to perform your duties at your centre.

Any member requiring individual assistance on this or other matters should contact the PSA’s Member Support Centre in the first instance on 1300 772 769.

The PSA continues to strongly advocate with your senior management for working from home arrangements more broadly where possible with a common sense approach. Unfortunately, there is no one-size-fits-all space across the non-custodial workforce at different centres, so this will inevitably be somewhat ad hoc based on the differing needs of the centre. You are encouraged to have these conversations locally and seek assistance from the PSA where there are unnecessary roadblocks.

New Departmental Committee Delegates

Following recent elections, the most recent Non-Custodial Departmental Committee (NCDC) delegates are listed below. The PSA congratulates all delegates on their election and thanks them for their tireless work on behalf of members. This is more evident than ever during the current crisis.

You are encouraged to raise any concerns or suggestions on work practices with the above with them so they can collate feedback from their areas on COVID-19 matters.

Electorate -1 Administration- North Coast; South West; South East

Vacant

Electorate -2 State Parole Authority & SORC (metro)

Kathleen DWYER

Electorate -3 Central West; Hunter; North West

Robert Daniels

Electorate -4 Brush Farm Academy

Toni KENNEDY

Electorate -5 Case Management (Metro)

Kenny CARVER

Electorate -6 Case Management (Regional)

Steve FOY

Electorate -7 Classification

Scott CHAPMAN

Electorate -8 CSI Drivers

Brian MCLEAN

Electorate 9- Henry Dean Building

Lindsay WILKINSON

Electorate – 10 Scheduling Clerks

Dwaine DAVIES

Electorate -11 RSM/MOSP/SSAPO/ WELFARE OFFICERS/RAPO/MENTOR – metro

Susan PASMIK

Linda CODLING

Electorate -12 RSM/MOSP/SSAPO/ WELFARE OFFICERS/RAPO/MENTOR Central West; Hunter; North West

Julie LUCKETT

Kylie MCKELVIE

Electorate -13 RSM/MOSP/SSAPO/ WELFARE OFFICERS/RAPO/MENTOR North Coast; South West; South East

Maggie BOLGER

Electorate -14 Security and Intelligence

Simon YOUNG

Electorate -15 Sentence Administration

Shona KOCIS

Psychology Advisory Group:

Electorate 1- North Coast; South West; South East

Vacant

Electorate 2- Metro

Sam ARDASINSKI

Nicolle GRIFFIN

Electorate 3-

Teena KENNEDY

Fiona INNIS

Education Advisory Group:

Electorate 1- Metro

Stewart BURKITT

David GOULD

Electorate 2- North Coast; South West; South East

Ian HENSTOCK

Electorate 3-Central West; Hunter; North West

Janet Smith

Your PSA Industrial Staff

Roland Harris Industrial Officer

Leonie Wright Organiser

It’s more important than ever that we all stand together and we’re all union. If you know a colleague that’s not a member, get them to JOIN THE PSA TODAY!

CPSU NSW keeping TAFE staff safe

The CPSU NSW has been meeting with TAFE NSW on a daily basis over the past two-and-a-half weeks to obtain Work, Health and Safety (WHS) reports from the TAFE crisis team. This enables the union to better understand the impact COVID-19 is having on our members.

At these meetings CPSU NSW representatives have been advocating strongly for the safety and well-being of all staff, including continual requests for cleaning to be undertaken at various campuses, for PPE to be provided to employees on the frontline, as well as site-specific risk assessments to be undertaken.

TAFE NSW ensures the union everything is being done to ensure your health and welfare.

While TAFE may assert this, it is clear from our five regional member meetings on Wednesday 31 March, serious WHS concerns remain at TAFE NSW campuses remaining open to the public and students.

Several hundred members (mostly in Student Administration) attended those meetings on Wednesday 31 March and the following resolution was carried:

That until TAFE provides the CPSU NSW with confirmation that all relevant risk assessments related to preventing the spread of COVID-19 have been completed, and PPE provided, campuses should close to students and the public. Work will continue on campus in accordance with WHS and at home where possible.

On Thursday afternoon 1 April, CPSU NSW State Branch Assistant Secretary Troy Wright wrote to the TAFE Managing Director Steffen Faurby. In this letter he highlighted the ongoing risks faced by Student Administrative staff, and advocated for measures TAFE can put in place to reduce the risk to staff, including the closure of campuses to students and the public while maintaining access to services by either telephone or online.

This is important correspondence which will likely impact your workplace over the coming weeks. Please read it HERE.

We expect Steffen Faurby’s office to respond shortly, setting up an urgent meeting with him and other TAFE representatives.

Following the outcome of that meeting, the CPSU NSW will be meeting with the entire Delegates Council to report back and obtain further direction on action to be undertaken, if necessary.

We appreciate members being very proactive on this – you have the full support of your union.

Not a member of the CPSU? Join the union HERE.

Contact the CPSU NSW

Industrial Manager
Anne Kennelly

Organisers
Shane Jobberns
Chris Bird

Your CPSU NSW delegates

South Region

Wollongong
Brad Cowie

Illawarra
Regina Kimmich regina.kimmich@tafensw.edu.au
Chris Pickering

Albury
Christopher Hobbins

West Region

Parkes
Leanne Riley

Dubbo
Patricia Nethery

North Region

Hunter
Gale Iseppi

Tighes Hill
Liz Garlick

Newcastle
Stephen O’Brien

Coffs Harbour
Brook Down

North
Walter Upson –

Sydney Region

Ultimo
Dawn Davis
George Bissoli
Simon Gray

St Leonards
Joe Harris

Hornsby
Patrick Kiss

Western Sydney Region

Campbelltown
Tracey Doyle

Richmond
Joanna Carroll

Blue Mountains
Glenda Pryor

Strathfield
Isabella Ramirra

TAFE Digital

Jin Cho

Legal Aid: COVID-19 consultation update

Yesterday PSA representatives participated in the regular COVID-19 consultation with Legal Aid management. Matters discussed and outcomes were as follows:

Working from home

A majority of staff are now working from home and nearly all staff across the state will be working from home by Monday, 6 April 2020.

Any member of staff who feels unsafe working from home can contact a Delegate or Michelle Jones, Director HR, to request alternate arrangements.

Infection monitoring and control

Management is not aware of any COVID-19-positive LAC staff or any staff or member of their households under compulsory quarantine.

LAC will monitor reports of incidences of infection in other agencies, including Corrective Services.

The PSA reiterates that it is up to all staff to maintain social distancing, seek immediate care if displaying symptoms, and self-quarantine.

AVL appearances

Management reported the plan for Bail Courts is working with goodwill from all concerned and we look towards even greater use of technology from home.

No member of staff will be compulsorily directed to participate in AVL Bail Courts – participation will be voluntary.

Participation on Bail rosters shall be voluntary and staff in “vulnerable health” categories are not to participate.

Instances where Solicitors are unable to appear in any Court by AVL and are required to physically attend in person to be reported to Delegates, and will be raised at peak level.

Members who are experiencing problems or with ideas during this difficult period are encouraged to contact their Delegates to seek union assistance.

Dane Bracewell
Justin Hutchinson or 0419 287 985
John Moratelli (Central Council)

PSA staff

Andrew Wright Industrial Officer or 0408 400146
Glenn Duncan Organiser or 0409455682

What can you do?

Encourage your colleagues to JOIN the PSA online
Give a copy of this bulletin to your colleagues.
Print this bulletin and put it up on your notice board.
Get involved as a PSA Delegate/Contact – get in touch with your Organiser.

POVB welfare bulletin

Introducing Welfare Officer Trish O’Brien

I would like to introduce myself as the newly appointed Welfare Officer. I am based out of the PSA and will be travelling to centres when required. This position is only Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday at this time, but I am available 24/7 for any staff who require support and assistance.

My substantive position is Senior Correctional Officer at Silverwater Women’s CC. I am the Chair of the WHS Committee, Peer Support and have training in the Stand TLR Program and RAW.

I will be engaging with staff who are involved in serious incidents. I will be able to help them contact external agencies for mental health if required. I will also be assisting staff for disciplinary issues, staff assaults, criminal matters, grief and loss, victims of bullying and harassment etc.

I will be working closely with CSNSW Injury Management in regards to staff on workers’ compensation and checking in on staff who are on long-term compensation. I will be promoting the mental health programs the department has implemented and hope to attend centres to facilitate these programs as soon as possible.