As members would be aware the PSA has been in an ongoing struggle with TfNSW management about the Payroll and Personnel restructure; it ultimately culminated in the PSA proceeding to the IRC in April 2022.  In the IRC the PSA secured the following agreement from TfNSW:

1. No employee would be declared excess until at least two months from the date the reform is stood up i.e. when all new positions are filled and individuals trained.
2. Consultation with the PSA will occur fortnightly on implementing the restructure and associated resourcing issues.

Since this agreement was secured in April 2022 by keeping TfNSW to this agreement the PSA achieved some great wins so far:

1. TfNSW are no longer blindly advancing to a stand up date of 1 July 2022. TfNSW has agreed this date would be vacated.  As part of the round table TfNSW will continue to consult with the PSA on moving towards stand up and the PSA would be provided with no less than four weeks’ notice of the formal stand-up, which is when the determined structure will come into effect and become operational.
2. There has been a level of recognition that the resourcing needs of Payroll and Personnel are unclear to TSS management, but not to us. We have been rock solid on the resourcing issue and we believe we will ultimately be proven correct. A resourcing analysis is going to be undertaken.  Unlike last time, TfNSW has agreed that from the outset there will be involvement from PSA representatives and staff.  We have been assured this is not an exercise in clocking the exact amount of time tasks time, but to really understand the activities you undertake on a day to day basis and then how much time these take.
3. TfNSW were seeking to proceed with similar work allocation principles outlined in the ‘Ways of Working’ proposal from March 2020 despite them never having been implemented per the proposal. We have secured agreement from TfNSW they will not be proceeding with this approach.  TfNSW has agreed they will consult on implementing any changes to the work allocation principles as they are currently undertaken.
4. Work is being undertaken to see managers actually have some engagement in your hours of work. This means Managers no longer just approve your timesheets with forfeited hours.  There will be active management of employee’s hours of work to ensure you (a) get to take your flex days and (b) do not forfeit hours of work.

Importantly, the PSA is not seeking to stand in the way of employees with agreed exit dates.  We have asked TfNSW to present to the PSA a plan for how work will be covered when those employees are declared excess.  TfNSW will be developing a plan to provide the PSA.

What can members do?

It is really important that members are recording their hours correctly.  We know how hard you are working, under recording your hours will only hide the work you are doing and potentially lead to TfNSW undervaluing and not recognising the work.

The PSA also had a great win after a long battle to ensure you are allowed to take all 6 flexi days in the 12 week flexi cycle, please ensure you take them, and advise your team leader if you think you cannot take one.

What Next?

The PSA will continue to hold TfNSW to account and will be meeting with TfNSW fortnightly as part of the round tables and through the Industrial Relations Commission (IRC).  The original dispute is still open before the IRC and the PSA is seeking to get on the record what TfNSW has agreed to regarding consultation on the resource analysis and work allocation principles and stage up date.  We are scheduled to be before the IRC on 8 July 2022.

The PSA will be holding a members meeting this week to discuss all of these issues further. Please attend and feel free to invite any non-members you believe might be interested. Details are as follows:

Date: Thursday, 7 July 2022

Time: 1.30pm-2.30pm

To join, please use the following link: Click here to join the meeting

The PSA is continuing, with success, to fight for proper resourcing and structures in payroll.  There is strength in numbers, if you are not a member of the PSA now is time to join and fight to see a proper structure in payroll.  Join here.