Schools
How much is your work worth?
Job Evaluation systems are widespread in the Public Sector and are used as an objective measure to grade jobs. A good job evaluation system is worth money in the pocket to employees. We know that schools support staff are vastly underpaid compared to similar jobs elsewhere. That was recognised by the independent 2003/04 Schools Review.
Read more 'here'.
Stop the electricity sell off
Come along to the community rally to oppose the sell off of the state’s publically owned electricity infrastructure. Outside the NSW ALP Conference at Darling Harbour Convention Centre on Saturday 3 May.
It is important to get a good turn out as this may be the last chance to show we are in favour of keeping electricity (and other essential utilities) in public hands not for private profit.
Convention Centre, Darling Harbour (near the Olympic monument) at 9.30 am, Saturday 3 May.
This rally will be followed by the traditional May Day procession
Alternatives after Howard
April 08 - How can political and social movements build their power? How can they produce allies, organisations, legitimacy, inspiration, and vision? Held on the opening day of the new Government’s 2020 summit, this conference is open to all and will explore strategy and action for alternative 2020 visions. The Conference is free but places are limited. Creche facilities will be available on the 19th. Download the conference brochure for registration details.
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Divisive rule changes adopted
February 08 - At the February Central Council, the Rank and File Team and Members First factions voted as a bloc to adopt a series of controversial rule changes. They hope to strengthen their control of the PSA by removing all other groups from the Governing body of the union.
The manoeuvre has incensed the real rank and file (members and delegates) who were neither consulted nor informed of the proposed changes. Its just a taste of things to come if this group is re-elected. Another significant change will allow the PSA to fund and endorse political parties and candidates. We believe the changes compromise our independence and reduce our bargaining power. The changes do nothing to unify our members nor do they strengthen our union.
At our next election members and delegates will have to choose between the incumbent officials and those who want a reformed, strong and independent union.
Please contact Paul Petersen if you would like to join or support a reform ticket for the next PSA election. Paul Petersen 9228 3929(w).
Table of changes including the motion on notice
Current PSA rules
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Wage Watch
Our main pay award, the Crown Employees Salaries Award, expires at the end of June 2008. As the employer has not made an acceptable offer the PSA will lodge a major case in the NSW Industrial Commission.
Hearings are not likely to commence until July (ie after the current award has expired).
Concerns remain about the lack of member involvement in PSA pay cases (beyond being called for witness statements). We believe delegates and members should drive negotiations and that our pay claim and any legal strategy should be backed by a coherent member based industrial strategy. What does that mean?
Members are our strength. In previous pay deals member involvement was restricted to a ballot when the outcome was already a 'done deal'. One exception was when we received a last moment directive to take industrial action. Neither of these approaches is acceptable. Delegates need time to work with their members to ensure we actually have support for any proposed action. They need time to map the particular functions where we might place bans. Members want to know that they are not alone and that they will not face reprisals for supporting the union. This takes time, planning, and consultation. If members are properly consulted they are more likely to support their delegates when we have to take action. Often the most effective way is to have rolling stoppages co-ordinated across the public sector. If we start with well organised and strong sections of our membership we inspire greater confidence amongst previously weaker or less organised areas. This signals to the employer that we are not going to just have a one day, no impact, steam letting, dummy spit. When done well it reduces the likelihood of a strike as it forces the employer to make a reasonable offer. Most importantly our members have ownership of the outcome. They are more likely to defend that win.
Wage claims are not really won on technical points of law. Sure, we hope to convince the Commission that on productivity grounds we should get more than the prevailing inflation rate but ultimately the Commission will make a subjective decision that it believes will be acceptable to both parties. The Commission is charged with keeping industrial peace. If it believes we will crawl into a hole if it awards everything the employer wants then there’s no incentive to make a more favourable ruling.
PSA's secret rule changes
In a divisive move the current PSA leadership faction placed a motion on notice to change the PSA's electoral rules in a way they hope will advantage themselves by banishing all opposition from teh governing body of the union. The motion was tabled just prior to the Christmas holidays ensuring members would not be aware of the changes prior to the vote at the February Central Council. The proponents of the changes refused to answer questions about their motion. Why the secrecy and what are the changes? There are 8 rule changes. The two most significant ones are:
replacing proportional representation election of Central Councillors with a 'winner takes all' method
allowing the union to endorse and fund political parties and candidates
These changes are are not in the interest of members. That is why they were snuck through without consultation.
What the Progressives believe these changes will do
1. Allow the PSA to openly support political parties and candidates
The change to PSA rules 3 & 4 are designed to allow our union to openly support a political party. In practice this would be a party of the General Secretary’s choice. This is currently against the Rules or ‘constitution’ of the PSA. The PSA leadership will be able to use member’s money to financially support parliamentary candidates at election time, also against the current Rules. This opens the way to party affiliation with no direct input by members.
Many PSA members believe there is a conflict of interest for the leadership of a public sector union to be able to closely align itself to the party of government. The union should not be so close to our bosses.
2. Eliminate a representative Central Council
Another change alters the method of the union's general election, due this October/November, including the system used to elect the governing body of the PSA, Central Council.
The adopted alteration to Rule 35(a) – changes the voting system from proportional representation as detailed in Schedule D of the PSA rules to a simple preferential voting system as outlined in Schedule C. This is the most far-reaching and dangerous of the proposed rule changes. Its design and effect is to eliminate any and all opposition from individuals or groups who do not agree with the existing leadership of “Rank & File and “Member’s First” factions.
Currently, a ticket that receives say 30% of the vote gets 30 % representation on Central Council. That in essence explains the system of proportional representation. It is easily the most democratic and genuinely representative of the three main electoral systems. By switching the electoral system from proportional representation to simple preferential voting, the ticket that receives a bare majority of the votes, (50% plus 1), after preferences are distributed gets their candidates elected to ALL positions on Central Council.
PSA Central Council, like the Senate, is a multi-seat electorate. It is one single electorate composed of 45 positions, covering the entire PSA membership across the state of NSW. In any multi-seat electorate proportional representation is the only fair way to accurately reflect the desires of the constituency, that’s why it is the system used in the upper house of every parliament in our country.
3. Restrict information to members
A change to Rule 93 seeks to remove a candidate information sheet and a list of all tickets registered for the election and where their preferences are distributed. This information is currently sent to members by the State Electoral Office. The proposed change would mean that PSA members would instead have to go to the PSA’s website to read it.
This website and its contents are controlled and authorised by the General Secretary – one of the positions up for election. The proposed rules changes were hidden on the PSA web site, unannounced, under “Decisions”. Many members are asking ‘Would this essential information also be treated the same way?’
In fact, the only people likely to be known on a widespread basis are the people that appear in Red Tape. Every word that appears in Red Tape is vetted by the General Secretary who also controls the membership email list. This means that there is no opportunity for a group such as The Progressives or other independents to get exposure in Red Tape or via email.
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Latest pay and allowances
Check your Conditions and pay awards plus the latest Table of allowances for Crown Employees Conditions Award (effective 1 July 2007). Do you have an idea about how to improve our Conditions Award? We'd like to hear from you. Send your ideas or questions to Contact us at: conditions_ideas@progressivepsa.org
Kevin Rudd prepares public service razor
Sounding like he was singing from Morris Iemma’s song sheet Kevin Rudd vowed to spend less on administration, slash the number of public servants, and redirect resources to “frontline services”. He promised that Labor's razor gang would make deep cuts not seen since Howard’s purge of 1996-97. "Well a razor gang is precisely what it says” said Rudd. "… one of our first actions will be to establish a razor gang with a view to ripping into the existing outlays base of the current Government.’’ “You look at the totality of government outlays and see the extent to which fat can be cut in administration and delivered to frontline services instead." Its something of an embarrassment for the leadership of the Commonwealth public sector union (CPSU) which affiliated to the Labor Party arguing that it would give them greater say on Labor policy.
Protesters at the MCG
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Huge protests against IR changes
Around the nation hundreds of thousands gathered to speak out against the Commonwealth Government's harsh work laws. In Melbourne ACTU Secretary addressed an assembly at the MCG. In Sydney crowds from Darling Harbour and Belmore Park converged in Bridge Street where they were addressed by the Premier. Labor, the Greens and Democrats have resolved to get rid of the WorkChoices legislation. The labour movement must now hold the new ALP leadership to account and work to ensure the Coalition is not re-elected. Your rights at work are worth fighting and voting for.
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The Progressive PSA brings together rank and file trade union activists in
the Public
Service Association of NSW and the CPSU (SPSF Branch).
We work for:
greater job security
improved and more equitable pay
sustainable jobs in a sustainable environment
a democratic and strong union
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Contact us at: ppsa@progressivepsa.org
