Transport for NSW PSA members update 2015
Transport for NSW PSA Members Update July 2015 (PDF version)
TfNSW PSA delegates and an industrial official met with representatives from Transport for NSW (TfNSW) to progress negotiations for the Transport Service of NSW Conditions of Employment Award 2015. Negotiations are now at the point that TfNSW has reduced its proposed award changes to three items.
TfNSW is seeking an in-principle agreement from the PSA and other unions in TfNSW on the three issues listed below in order to pay the 2.5% pay increase as of the first pay in July. Agreement to back pay members from the first pay in July is still being negotiated. This is a core concern for members and will inform how we proceed.
1. Alignment of the drug & alcohol reference under the award on-call provisions with the TfNSW drug & alcohol policy
The award prescribes that staff members should be free from the effects of drugs and alcohol. TfNSW is seeking a more literal and demonstrable interpretation as contained in the current Drug & Alcohol policy. The concern from members in certain parts of TfNSW, is this places an additional onus on employees to remain completely drug and alcohol free. Some individual staff members have spoken to the PSA with concerns over the increased level of on-call arrangements for longer periods of time.
2. CBD Taskforce & Replacement Bus Transport Services
There are approximately 35-40 new positions that will be created for the CBD Taskforce & Replacement Bus Transport Services. TfNSW has argued that some of the positions (approx. 8) require differing service delivery provisions due to the nature of the work. The focus of these positions is to provide service outside of traditional business hours including early starts/late finishes, during night times and over weekends. This is in order to reduce the disturbance to CBD users. TfNSW stresses that some of these positions, whilst similar to positions in the Transport Management Centre (TMC), are different and therefore require award changes to distinguish the taskforce from TMC operations. No current positions will be affected by the proposed changes.
TfNSW has also sought to compensate staff members (approx. 8) who would be predominantly Monday to Friday workers, working outside of the bandwidth including overtime and weekends. TfNSW has sought to use Clause 21.1.(d) and provide a loading in lieu of penalties and over-time. These are predominately project management roles with a very “hands on” involvement.
3. Removing core hours and increasing bandwidth from 7am-7pm
TfNSW has proposed the removal of current core hours provisions being 9.30 to 3.30pm and a change in the bandwidth from 7.30 to 6.00pm to 7.00am to 7.00pm. Members have received the proposed changes optimistically, but cautiously. Whilst many can see benefits of the removal of core hours, the concern is that TfNSW will enforce early starts and late finishes. This has the potential to cause disadvantage to members who have caring responsibilities. Members are concerned with the increased level of “operational activities” being performed by TfNSW. The PSA is presently negotiating to have considerable safeguards with respect to work life balance in order that staff will not be detrimentally affected by the changes. These include but are not limited to factoring carers and lifestyle concerns.
Continued negotiations and PSA position
Your union, the PSA, provided bargaining items to TfNSW on 23 June 2015. The items came directly from the membership during the member engagement strategy meetings conducted in your workplaces. The core items include use of contractors, incorporation of 68d into the award, improving flexible working arrangements and improvements to salary sacrifice.
Overall, your union’s negotiating position reflects and incorporates members’ feedback and we will continue to hold meetings and engage members up until the award is finalised.
Your union will continue to push the interests of members to reflect the feedback from our meetings with you although members should note that the Government Wages Regulation inhibits unions from claiming salary or condition increases of more than 2.5% without trade-offs.
What can you do?
- Give a copy of this bulletin to your colleagues
- Print this bulletin and put it on your notice board
- Ask a colleague to join the PSA
- Become a contact in your area
- Ask a colleague to attend the next PSA meeting with you.
