As distributed in our last bulletin, the acceptance of your wages offer has not stopped the campaign to provide Award coverage for Transport Senior Service Managers (TSSM).

Current legislative requirements too restrictive

Remuneration levels for TSSMs are subject to the Transport Administration Act.  The Act states “The remuneration level for Transport Service senior managers is to be less than that for any Transport Service senior executive and more than that for a clerk (grade 12) in the Public Service with general administrative duties”

The legislative requirement has forced an issue that will not be resolved unless changes to this legislation are achieved.

The TfNSW Grade 9 is actually more than a Clerk (grade 12) in the rest of the Public Service, essentially making the top of the Award a Clerk Grade 13. With Award employees securing yearly pay rises (including this years 4%), and TSSMs not automatically receiving these pay rises, combined with the legislation stating only that TSSMs should be paid more than a Grade 12, this allows the unsustainable outcome of a TfNSW Grade 9 possibly being remunerated higher than a TSSM.  Clearly this will be an issue for TfNSW when it comes to attracting staff to consider these positions.

Pay freezes at Transport Senior Service Executive level squeezes remuneration for TSSMs

Pay freezes at the TSSE level also compound the effect on TSSMs.  As the legislation also requires TSSMs to be paid less than TSSEs, this means it is increasingly difficult for TfNSW to give pay increases to any level of TSSM, as the bandwidth in which to maintain different levels of remuneration is reducing.

What is the PSA doing to address this

The PSA has already held discussions with Government about the creation of a Senior Service Award across the public sector, and specifically Award coverage for TSSMs. We have also raised the issue with the legislative requirements outlined above, which are an impediment to change, and are seeking the necessary amendments through Parliament. We will keep members updated with progress.

Calls to add TSSMs to TfNSW Award too simplistic

Throughout the recent TfNSW Award discussions, some Unions were simply requesting that TSSMs be added to the TfNSW Award.  Due to the complexities above, as well as Government considering such a move a “cost” in which “associated savings” would need to be found, this claim is too simplistic.  Without changes to legislation, this outcome would be impossible and pay rises for Award employees would be unnecessarily held up. The increase to Award employee wages actually assists with the urgency of action required for TSSMs – the increase in Award wages by 4% exacerbates the wages issue. Separate Awards for “management” employees is a standard arrangement across many different Public Service Areas, such as TAFE, and areas of the Department of Communities and Justice (DCJ).  It stops the conditions of one group of staff being traded off for others in the pursuit of “efficiencies”.

The PSA is focused on solutions

The PSA is the Public Sector Union, with experience in Public Sector Industrial Instruments and Legislative Requirements.  We will continue to strategically focus on, and campaign for, solutions to these issues.  If you would like to join the campaign, join the PSA today.