Welcome back to school
Welcome back to school – July 2016 (PDF version)
Welcome back to Term 3. I hope you had a relaxing break and are refreshed and ready for action.
By now most of you know that the PSA has again successfully achieved a 2.5 percent pay rise with NO trade-offs. It is the PSA’s strength in numbers that makes this pay rise possible. This pay rise delivers real wage growth with the Consumer Price Index (CPI) being at 1.3 percent.
The PSA is your union, supporting members through the LMBR implementation. Remember that communication is the best form of support; talk to your colleagues about workloads.
This term will be very busy as many of you undertake training for LMBR. The PSA urges you to communicate with your principals and if overtime is required, make sure you are either paid, or receive time off in lieu. Do not donate free working hours to the Department of Education. Claim your overtime or work your set hours. This is the way the department will recognise the real cost of implementing LMBR.
Performance development
As well as LMBR training, the Department proposes to commence the implementation of performance development for all SAS Staff. On 29 June, the PSA sent a very important newsletter to all schools raising concerns on a number of issues including Performance Development. Please read the newsletter which can be found on the PSA website HERE.
In the newsletter, the PSA asked you to let us know whether you support the Schools Departmental Committee’s proposed ban on performance development and why, by emailing us at . The PSA received members’ feedback supporting the ban. As such, the ban is under consideration by the PSA Executive.
Injections and invasive procedures in schools
The PSA has exchanged correspondence with the Department expressing concern that School Learning Support Officers (SLSO) have been administering insulin injections and undertaking blood sugar level testing to students with diabetes. The PSA has previously put out information to members advising them that they should not perform injections as this is regarded as an invasive procedure and outside their statement of duties. Furthermore, the PSA has not been consulted on this issue. SAS Staff should not volunteer to undertake these procedures. The PSA is interested in hearing your views. Please feel free to email
Invite me to your school and learn more about your conditions
With the myriad issues and changes happening in schools, why not arrange a PSA meeting? This will provide members and potential members an opportunity to ask questions and be updated on current issues. To arrange a meeting, please contact me by email .
Great news for PSA members
SAS Staff PSA members are ‘Proud to be Union’, and over the next four months when you ask a colleague to join the PSA online, you can receive a $75 gift card. By taking the time to explain the benefits of being a PSA member to a colleague and by including your details when they join online, you will receive a $75 gift card after three months. More information can be found HERE.
Proud to be PSA members
The PSA advances your rights and provides support to members by negotiating wages, conditions of employment, flexible work, career opportunities, safe work practices, policies and procedures. Only through our collective strength as a union are we able to negotiate on a level playing field with the Government and other employers. We achieve far more as an organised group of workers than we can as individuals
There are also additional benefits to joining the PSA such as:
Journey Insurance for injuries sustained travelling to or from work, which the government removed from workers compensation laws in 2012. PSA members can also receive an additional 12 days of paid leave every two years to attend union training courses and other union activities.
Update your details online
Did you know you can securely change your membership details online? If you change your address, phone numbers, worksites, or bank accounts, visit the PSA website https://psa.asn.au/ and click the update and connect tab.
All the best for Term 3.
Rowan Salomon your PSA Organiser .
Need help or advice? Call Member Support on 1300 772 679.
