Sydney marked International Women’s Day with a march through
The PSA CPSU NSW was in attendance, with members and staff celebrating the union’s achievements and the battles yet to be won.
“It was great to see so many union women take pride on our organisations and what they have done for workplace equality,” said PSA CPSU NSW Women’s Officer Simone Scalmer. “It was good to see younger women coming through the ranks.”
An International Women’s Day march also took place through the streets of Newcastle.
Retired Associates met on 27 February 2024 at PSA House and via Zoom.
The General Secretary gave members a lunch-time briefing. Issues discussed included an update on changes at the Industrial Relations Commission and future wage increases for NSW public servants.
Simone Scalmer, PSA Women’s Officer gave a presentation about key issues in her portfolio including:
a report on the 2023 PSA Women’s Conference;
upcoming International Women’s Day celebrations;
lactation in the workplace;
reproductive leave;
paid parental leave and the definition of a permanent placement of a child; and
workplace sexual harassment.
Ms Scalmer requested that female Retired Associates with special and inspiring stories about their history with the PSA and involvement in achieving gains for women contact her on 1800 772 679.
There was also discussion about issues members would like to see addressed in 2024. The impact of artificial intelligence and rising sea levels were identified as issues we would like to learn more about.
The approved minutes of the December 2023 meeting and draft minutes of the February 2024 meeting are attached HERE for the information of members.
The next meeting will be held on Tuesday, 23 April 2024.
Carmel McKeough
Secretary
PSA CPSU NSW Retired Associates
A reminder to all PSA CPSU NSW Women that the Women’s Unit is hosting an online webinar ‘Lunch and Learn’ tomorrow, Friday 8 March 2024 at 12:30pm on the subject of Flexible Work in celebration of International Women’s Day.
Our own PSA CPSU NSW Women’s Council has a strong history of advancing the needs of women in the workplace for more than 90years. Through a ‘Call to Action’ at our Annual Women’s Conference last year, we learned that equitable access to flexible working conditions is at the top of the list of concerns our women members have in the workplace.
We have arranged a ‘Lunch and Learn’ seminar on Flexible Work Practices to assist you to better understand flexible working arrangements, the types of arrangements available in different awards and agreements, tips for making a flexible work application and resolving any issues that arise in this process. This will be held on Friday 8 March 2024 at 12:30pm.
You can register to participate in this online event HERE.
There will also be a march on Saturday 9 March 2024, see details below.
The PSA CPSU NSW, alongside other unions and women’s organisations will be rallying together from 11am at Sydney Town Hall on Saturday 9 March in celebration of IWD. The theme for this event is ‘Powering Equality: Accelerating Inclusion’.
We encourage all PSA CPSU NSW members to come together to celebrate women by joining with us and showing pride in your union and its achievements. Look for the PSA CPSU NSW flags at Sydney Town Hall. Some will be red, white, and black, others will be purple with PSA CPSU NSW WOMEN on them.
International Women’s Day (IWD), a day of celebration of women and the achievements made by and for women, is on Friday 8 March.
The PSA CPSU NSW supports this day. It is a time we can reflect on the achievements we have reached in the fight for women’s rights and gender equality and the role unions have played at the forefront of this. International Woman’s Day also encourages us to come together and consider the battles that still need to be fought!
Your union, the PSA CPSU NSW, has fought for equal pay, equal access to job opportunity, paid parental leave and job security, flexible work hours, family and community service leave, lactation breaks, and, more recently, 20 days’ paid domestic violence leave and improvements to paid parental leave entitlements.
International Women’s Day is also about the celebration of women worldwide and the promotion of economic empowerment, gender equality and basic human rights.
If you want to celebrate this important day with action rather than a cupcake, we urge you to attend an IWD rally on Saturday 9 March 2024, and remember the many battles women have won when they work as a collective. Come along and help get the message out that we still have much to fight for!
The Australian total remuneration average gender pay gap is 21.7 per cent. In the public sector, this gap is much lower at 6.2 per cent. However, this has increased over the past three years and is the highest it has been in a decade. Women still retire with far less super than men. We have workplaces that are still unsafe for many women with high levels of exposure to sexual harassment. We need to fight to change the fact that women and children experience domestic violence at far greater levels than men, and women more often carry the burden of caring responsibilities and need job security and better access to flexible work. We are also fighting for reproductive leave for women.
The PSA CPSU NSW, alongside other unions and women’s organisations, will be rallying together from 11am at Sydney Town Hall on Saturday 9 March in celebration of IWD. The theme for this event is ‘Powering Equality: Accelerating Inclusion’.
We encourage all PSA CPSU NSW members to come together to celebrate women by joining with us and showing pride in your union and its achievements. Look for the PSA CPSU NSW flags at Sydney Town Hall. Some will be red, white, and black, others will be purple with PSA CPSU NSW WOMEN on them.
You can find out further information on this event on Facebook HERE.
You can also contact PSA CPSU NSW Women’s Industrial Officer Simone Scalmer at [email protected]
The Union of Australian Women NSW (Newcastle Branch), and the Hunter Workers Women’s Committee is also holding an International Women’s Day Annual Rally on Saturday 9 March from 10:00am-12:00pm.
Marchers will start gathering at Gregson Park from 10:00am, ready to march at 10:30 am through Hamilton. Afterwards you will hear from some fantastic feminist activist speakers!
CPSU NSW members can meet up in the park together to march and celebrate as a union. If you would like to attend this event you can contact PSA Organiser Melanie Coombes directly at [email protected]
Our own PSA CPSU NSW Women’s Council has a strong history of advancing the needs of women in the workplace for more than 90years. Through a ‘Call to Action’ at our Annual Women’s Conference last year, we learned that equitable access to flexible working conditions is at the top of the list of concerns our women members have in the workplace.
We have arranged a ‘Lunch and Learn’ seminar on Flexible Work Practices to assist you to better understand flexible working arrangements, the types of arrangements available in different awards and agreements, tips for making a flexible work application and resolving any issues that arise in this process. This will be held on Friday 8 March 2024 at 12:30pm.
You can register to participate in this online event HERE.
The improvements to women’s working lives would not have been possible without women fighting for change in their workplaces. If you have an event celebrating International Women’s Day in your workplace tag the CPSU NSW on Facebook, on Instagram or send your photos to [email protected]
The National Parks Vocational Branch (NPVB) met on Tuesday 13 February to discuss a range of issues.
The PSA is disappointed to see that only a brief overview of the People Matters Employees Survey (PMES) has been provided to National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) staff. In previous years, a full PMES report, analysing the NPWS results, has been provided to all staff.
The PSA has written to NPWS management requesting that a full report is provided to all staff.
The committee noted that recent changes have been made to training for law enforcement, including the rollout of a refresher for dealing with threatening and aggressive situations and level 1 law enforcement training. It also noted a level 2 law enforcement course has been scheduled. The PSA has been advocating for many years to improve safety of staff doing law enforcement through better training, so it is pleasing to see progress in this area.
Given the split up of the Department of Planning and the Environment, concerns have been raised about the resourcing of the specialist investigation unit and ensuring NPWS is provided with support for investigations. The PSA will continue to advocate for additional staff to be added to this unit.
The meeting discussed the need for better support from NPWS (particularly the human resource section) on issues impacting women. There is a peer support group for those members affected by menopause. International Women’s Day (IWD) is on 8 March and the PSA and NPVB delegates are preparing some events for this day.
The key message for IWD is that the PSA supports women to have equal opportunity to long and distinguished careers in NPWS.
The PSA has still not received the results of the Ranger survey and will continue to ask NPWS management for a copy of the results.
Given the pace of growth in NPWS and the increase in programs and responsibilities, the PSA remains concerned about the fact that Ranger numbers have not kept pace, meaning that Ranger workloads have increased dramatically. The PSA is also looking at the issue of Rangers being replaced by Clerk 7/8 project officers in some instances.
The PSA has received a summary of the results of the Administrative staff survey. PSA staff and Delegates are reviewing the report, but the initial size up is what we suspected, that Admin staff are overworked and underappreciated. The PSA has requested a copy of the full survey results and have sought a meeting with NPWS management to discuss the implementation of actions to improve the working conditions for Admin staff, including re-evaluation of certain roles.
The PSA will continue to campaign for better resources and improved working conditions for Admin staff.
The meeting discussed the recent ED memo on rostering for seven-day workers. In some areas, a more flexible approach is taken. However, the PSA is still receiving reports of inflexible rostering arrangements in some areas, covering periods much longer than one settlement period as per the Award.
As reiterated in the ED memo, rostering should take into account both NPWS needs and the personal needs of employees. The approved roster should only be for one four-week period, not 12 months in advance. Any roster that is prepared more than one period in advance should only be considered a draft.
The PSA has also received reports of members being rostered to work more than the required number of public holidays per year (up to five public holidays for members receiving a 17 per cent loading; or three for members receiving an 8.5 per cent loading). If directed to work additional weekends or public holidays you are entitled to a penalty rates. If this has not been paid you can submit a claim backdated to a maximum of six years.
The establishment of the Great Koala National Park GKNP was discussed at the meeting. It is likely to result in a significant increase in NPWS estate in North Coast Branch.
The PSA is represented on a local committee to discuss the implications of the establishment of the GKNP. A delegation from the PSA will be visiting the North Coast on Tuesday and Wednesday 12-13 March to discuss any concerns PSA members may have with the establishment of the GKNP and its future management.
The PSA will continue to advocate for adequate resources to properly manage this new addition, including office and depot accommodation, vehicles and staff.
The PSA has serious concerns with the move of whole corporate service teams, including WHS and Payroll, to the new Department of Planning, Housing and Industry rather than being shared with DCCEEW. Given the specific work environment in NPWS, and its unique award and pay conditions, we will keep a watching brief to make sure that the services provided to members do not suffer. Please report any issues with underpayment, particularly of overtime claims and when roster changes affect public holidays. The PSA will be requesting a copy of the service agreement between DCCEEW and DPHI regarding the provision of corporate services.
The PSA’s delegates in NPWS are as follows:
Did you know you can support the operation of the NPVB through making an additional small contribution through your pay?
Just send an email to [email protected] requesting an ongoing contribution to the National Parks Vocational Branch of the PSA.
These donations are tax-deductible and will appear on the annual statement provided by DPE to the Australian Tax Office. As little as $2 per pay can assist with our campaigns.
Contact one of the NPVB executive or the PSA’s Member Support Centre on 1800 772 679.
All members are invited to attend a webinar on ovarian cancer on Wednesday 21 February 2024.
This online event is dedicated to raising awareness about ovarian cancer, its symptoms, the crucial importance of early detection, and the support available for those affected by this challenging disease.
The webinar is presented by PSA CPSU NSW partner Osara Health, which provides support for members and their immediate family members affected by cancer.
For more information on the webinar and future events, click HERE.
Date Wednesday 21 February 2024
Time 12:00pm-1:00pm
To register for the webinar, click HERE.
Osara Health provides care to people and organisations affected by cancer using expertise, empathy and technology. Participants gain access to digital tools, dedicated health coaching and evidence-based educational resources, assisting them to feel supported, informed and in control of health outcomes and their wellbeing.
Support comes in two forms:
Cancer Coach by Osara Cancer Coach is an education, support and behaviour-change program designed by oncologists to help people take back control of their cancer care and achieve better outcomes.
Cancer Caregivers by Osara Cancer Caregivers is designed to equip people with the support, information and skills to best look after their loved one living with cancer and improve their clinical outcomes.
Both programs are delivered flexibly and confidentially over 6-12 weeks through a mix of telephone calls with a Health Coach, via email and by using an app. When members enrol, they will be contacted by a Health Coach who will walk them through how the course will work.
PSA CPSU NSW members affected by cancer can contact Osara Health directly by clicking HERE.
Members can also be referred to Osara via the PSA CPSU NSW. Click HERE to contact your union via email or call 1800 772 679.
PSA CPSU NSW members are encouraged to join the march in March.
The Unions NSW International Women’s Day Committee held its first meeting for the 2024 celebrations. The theme will be Count Her In: Accelerating Gender Equality Through Economic Empowerment.
“We urge as many members as possible to get involved in International Women’s Day on Saturday 9 March 2024,” said PSA CPSU NSW Women’s Industrial Officer Simone Scalmer. “Unions have also been encouraged to include regional members.”
Unions NSW is also discussing what other organisations can be brought into the Committee and how to better engage younger women.
International Women’s Day dates back to 1909, and is a global celebration of women’s rights in the workplace and in wider society. There are annual marches throughout NSW.
Study into female labour trends secures famous award.
The winner of the 2023 Nobel Prize for Economics, Claudia Goldin, provided the first comprehensive account of women’s earnings and labour market participation throughout recent centuries.
Ms Goldin examined more than 200 years of data from the United States, learning how and why gender differences in earnings and employment rates have changed over time.
She found female participation in the labour market did not have an upward trend over this entire period, but instead formed a U-shaped curve.
The participation of married women decreased with the transition from an agrarian to an industrial society in the early 19th century, but then started to increase with the growth of the service sector in the subsequent century.
Ms Goldin explained this pattern as the result of structural change and evolving social norms regarding women’s responsibilities for home and family.
During the 20th century, women’s education levels continuously increased, and in most high-income countries they are now substantially higher than men’s. Goldin demonstrated that access to the contraceptive pill played an important role in accelerating this revolutionary change by offering new opportunities for career planning.
Despite modernisation, economic growth and rising proportions of employed women in the 20th century, for a long period of time the earnings gap between women and men hardly closed.
According to Goldin, part of the explanation is that educational decisions, which impact a lifetime of career opportunities, are made at a relatively young age. If the expectations of young women are formed by the experiences of previous generations – for instance, their mothers, who did not go back to work until the children had grown up – then development will be slow.
The CPSU NSW is having a meeting to consult with members about Enterprise Bargaining.
The meeting will be held at 4:00pm on Thursday, 16 November 2023.
Please join us!
The Aruma Enterprise Bargaining Committee met on Wednesday 1 November 2023. The main items discussed were around:
This is unsustainable and CPSU NSW is mindful that Aruma can’t continue to operate at a loss.
Regardless, the wages bill is Aruma’s problem, not the worker’s.
Your CPSU NSW bargaining representatives will remain vigilant that Aruma does not pursue a race to the bottom. We reject any notion that our members should be worse off on pay day simply to make pay systems align for the ease of Aruma.
The conditions CPSU NSW members enjoy are superior to those negotiated in the NGOs prior to privatisation of NSW disability services. If anything, now that privatisation has concluded, Aruma’s workforce should be brought up to the levels CPSU NSW members enjoy after years of hard-fought battles.
This effectively means that long-term employees who are invested in supporting the residents in group homes have their wages capped by the NDIA. We know that some DSWs are progressed to Level 3, however, this is top secret, ad hoc, and in a lot of cases, based on personality.
Your CPSU NSW bargaining representative maintain that the only way for Aruma to remain viable in attracting and retaining workers is to enshrine a career path in the next Enterprise Agreement. If you’ve been trained, gained qualifications and many years of real world experience in supporting the disabled during your career, this should be recognised financially as well as professionally.
Other bargaining agents don’t seem to believe there is any merit in incremental progression for Aruma workers. During bargaining, we were told an example of a worker with 27 years’ employment who should be denied an incremental pay rise because they can’t use email systems.
In 2023, it is shocking that any Aruma employee is unable to use email systems after 27 years of employment.
Let’s not forget, the core functions of Aruma and its employees, regardless of where they work in the company, is primarily care and support of NDIS participants. In our view, the fact that someone who may provide exceptional support to the residents in their group home but can’t send an email is not a valid reason to deny them an incremental pay rise.
Further, this example supports the CPSU NSW position that Aruma should undertake a skills audit of all staff each year.
If an annual skills audit was in place, any employee unable to use email should be picked up and would allow for Aruma to provide appropriate training to upskill an employee in this situation.
Key elements of the clause are women who are having trouble during menstruation or menopause will be entitled to support at work and will have access to paid leave. The CPSU NSW is asking Aruma for its women workers to be paid three days leave per month if they are facing troublesome health issues with menstruation or menopause.
This leave is an important inclusion to the next Aruma enterprise agreement as the disability support workforce largely relies on women across the sector.
The CPSU NSW would like to see a progressive employer like Aruma acknowledging the unique circumstances menstruation and menopause presents for women workers. We’ll keep you posted on developments.
CPSU NSW continue to meet with the Federal Government and remain committed to influencing government to provide funding levels that not only support the most vulnerable members of our community, but those workers who support them in challenging circumstances.
Next Aruma members meeting
Click here to join the meeting
Meeting ID: 448 224 341 161
Passcode: MVPKAs
Bronwyn Pine MSL
[email protected]
Andrew Christian DSW
[email protected]
Kym Turnbull DSW
[email protected]
Lynda Dean * DSW
[email protected]
Nicole Calvert DSW
[email protected]
Gina Keller DSW
[email protected]
Vicki Mulligan DSW
[email protected]
Korrina Schultz * DSW
[email protected]
Thomas Duncan * MSL
[email protected]
John Fenton * DSW
[email protected]
Solomon Williams DSW
[email protected]
Thane Pearce *
Industrial Manager
Anthony Wright *
Industrial Officer
Vivette Horrex
Metro Organiser
Alex Sala
Metro Organiser
* Your CPSU NSW Aruma Enterprise Agreement 2023 Bargaining Representatives
Call the PSA CPSU NSW Member Support Centre on 1800 772 679
SafeWork NSW has launched a new four-year Strategy to help workplaces prevent sexual harassment as a WHS issue. In the past 12 months, almost 1 in 5 Australian workers reported experiencing sexual harassment at work. It is a WHS issue and it’s preventable.
The strategy has been developed by the Respect at Work directorate which was formed in response to the Australian Human Rights Commission 2020 Respect@Work report on the high rates of sexual harassment across Australian workplaces.
This report called for a need to raise awareness that sexual harassment is a WHS (work health and safety) issue, and for a shift from the current reactive model to a proactive approach where employers must take actions to prevent sexual harassment before it occurs.
Visit SafeWork NSW to access a wide range of advice and resources to help create a safer and more respectful workplace: www.nsw.gov.au/business-and-economy/respect-at-work
You can also access an information pack here which has information about the strategy, support services and how to contact the Respect at Work team at SafeWork.
The PSA welcomes the development of this strategy and expects all Managers to take steps to ensure they provide a safe working environment for their employees free from sexual harassment. We have been calling for a new approach for some time, and our demands formed part of the Workplace Sexual Harassment Charter developed by Women’s Council.
All public sector agencies have been given the deadline of March 2024 earlier this year to ensure their workplace sexual harassment policies were compliant with the model Sexual Harassment Policy published by the Public Service Commission. A Commissioner Direction was issued requiring that each agency develop its own policy that draws on the sector wide policy and has provisions that are above the minimum standards set out in the direction. If your agency does not have an updated policy, you can inform your union who will raise the issue with Department heads.
If you have concerns relating to sexual harassment you should familiarise yourself with the reporting options for NSW workers as well as contact your union who can provide you with advice and support and help you navigate these options.
PSA members are invited to this special event to listen to Erica Smit who is Vice-Chair of the PSA’s Aboriginal Council and the PSA’s Aboriginal Officer, Ricky Walford.
Both Erica and Ricky hail from the North-West NSW town of Walgett and will talk about their own experiences, that led them to supporting the Uluru Statement from the Heart and the proposed Voice to Parliament
Event Details
For catering and other logistical issues please RSVP HERE
Tuesday 10 October
12.30pm to 1.30pm
PAR-6PSQ-L11.S.45
Or by
Microsoft Teams meeting
Join on your computer, mobile app or room device
Click here to join the meeting
Meeting ID: 456 799 210 217
Passcode: V5EhjP
For catering and other logistical issues please RSVP HERE
Like unions, the Voice gives Aboriginal people a better say in issues that affect them.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders have lived in Australia for 65,000 years. They have asked for the Voice to improve their lives. We, as union members, have to listen to them.
The PSA CPSU NSW’s advisory bodies, such as our Departmental Committees, Vocational Branches and our very own Aboriginal Council work with your union’s leadership, not against it. The Voice will work the same way with our Parliament; a Yes vote will create an advisory body that will work with the Federal and State Governments to better deliver services and assistance to Aboriginal people.
It is an advisory body and will not be making any laws.
For more than a century, Australia’s proud union movement has been at the vanguard of social issues in our country. We have led the way in women’s suffrage and rights at work, the 1967 referendum, the Green Bans and marriage equality. By saying Yes, union members will continue this proud tradition of making Australia a fairer country for all.
The 2023 PSA CPSU NSW Women’s conference is being held on Tuesday 5 and Wednesday 6 September at PSA House in Sydney.
The Conference will connect women members from across the state and from all employers.
This year’s theme is Embrace Equity.
The conference is a fantastic opportunity to get new and experienced Delegates together to celebrate the achievements of women in the union and all they have done together to build fairer workplaces. We can also reflect on what else we need to fight for to achieve equity.
This Conference will give you the tools and the confidence to speak up and make an active contribution to your workplace and get involved in your union.
The Conference is very popular, so spaces are limited. The PSA CPSU NSW may not be able to offer a place to all who wish to attend. Preference will be given to workplace Delegates.
Expressions of interest need to be completed HERE by Friday 28 July 2023.
Further information on the event, including speakers and the agenda will be forthcoming.