WCCC and WIRO – Your main concerns at work (pdf version)
Members across WCC and WIRO are concerned about two main issues.
- An outsourcing of corporate functions which appears to impact more than just DFSI where it was initially reported
- Flexible Working Policy. Members appreciate the policy but are concerned about accessing the provisions contained in it.
GovConnect – a failure across DFSI and other agencies.
Several years ago, the government outsourced/‘offshored’ a number of corporate services and commenced the GovConnect project.
Members across DFSI have alerted the PSA to various failings and the PSA has documented evidence of concerns across the board. These include:
- Business inefficiencies/outages resulting in direct costs to the public to maintain systems
- Business inefficiencies/outages resulting in delay of the provision of services to the public
- Staff being directly affected through issues arising from overpayments, underpayments, leave records and personnel records.
Staff across the Department have nicknamed the system Gov(dis)Connect. It appears every time a staff member interacts with the system, a ticket is raised which costs money to the Department.
Staff have no confidence that their leave records and personnel files are correct or up to date – there are lengthy delays with their enquiries regularly not yielding any results, incorrect results, or partial results.
Salaries have become potluck with underpayments and overpayments occurring regularly. What’s more, when an overpayment occurs a reimbursement may be effected in the following or some subsequent pay, without repayment options being considered or entered into. The PSA has formed the view that this clearly constitutes a breach under s118 of the Industrial Relations Act 1996 (NSW).
The PSA is now fielding issues from members in WCC and WIRO which echo those described above. We are interested in compiling and collating these issues with those already received from the broader DFSI and urge members to get in touch if you are directly affected or have evidence of other Gov (dis)Connect issues. Please email your PSA Organiser, Ian Little, at with “GovConnect” in the subject field.
Flexible working policy
Members are concerned that approval to access parts of the policy, for instance working from home provisions, are more than likely going to be refused than approved, even though there should be an “If not, why not?” approach adopted.
Staff should not feel they would be denied access to any entitlement or condition contained within a Departmental Policy without it first being requested. However, there is no evidence to support this. Members should apply to their Managers in the first instant and if they feel their request is being unreasonably denied they should contact the PSA so we can work through the issue.
For any work-related issues contact your union. PSA Member Support Ph: 1300 772679
Print this bulletin and put it up in your workplace.
Join the PSA online at http://www.psa.asn.au/join.