It s a win!!
Our campaign to increase the numbers of fisheries field staff has paid off with additional positions as well as the backfilling of vacancies occuring across the state.

CPSU and the Fisheries Officer Association (FOA), backed by several community, industry and research groups, have been successful with the campaign to restore some staffing positions to protect our vital marine resources.

In line with the original 2009/10 Future Field Services Locations Submission, CPSU argued that additional positions were urgently required at Warrnambool, Apollo Bay, Metro, Cowes, Yarram and Lakes Entrance stations.

More recently the Mornington station was added to this priority list.

DPI have since assigned positions to Mornington (two positions), Metro (Altona), Geelong, Cowes and Apollo Bay.

When the current round of backfilling, relocations and advertisements is completed and providing there are no further losses of existing Fisheries Officers, there will be a total of 69 Fisheries Officers and 4 Regional Investigators state wide.

In late September, persistent campaigning compelled DPI to advertise internally and fill vacant Fisheries Officer positions.

CPSU negotiated an additional six Fisheries Officer positions to be funded out of the Recreational License Trust prior to the commencement of Caretaker mode before the Election.

Officer numbers were so low that only two stations (Metro and Mornington) have benefited from these additional positions as all other locations were so understaffed that the additional positions return these locations to minimum staffing levels only.

Members must remain vigilant and ensure that DPI upholds the agreement entirely on backfilling, relocations and new positions.

It is extremely important that the promised additional positions are not absorbed by rearranging ‘deck chairs , excused under budgetary or operational constraints, or otherwise lost through disingenuous means.

CPSU and FOA stand by the recommended locations in the 2009/10 Future Field Services Locations Submission and will continue to lobby for additional officers at these locations.

Outstanding Officer and Investigator vacancies remain an industrial issue.

The campaign will continue this year until sufficient numbers of Fisheries Officers and Investigators are employed state wide.

A revised CSPU-FOA budget submission will be available in the coming months on the campaign website at cpsuvic.org/campaigns/fisheries.

Additional recommendations listed in the Fisheries Officer s Association 2009/10 Future Field Services Locations Submission were implemented during the campaign process, including the instalment of a Senior Fisheries Officer at Swan Hill and Alexandra stations.

On behalf of the Fisheries Officers Association, CPSU has formally thanked the many and varied community, industry and research organizations or individuals who have supported Fisheries Officers throughout this campaign.

CPSU looks forward to ongoing collaboration with the FOA to build on the campaign s recent success.

A special acknowledgement is due to Wendy Skene, Mark Gibson, Matt Bateson, Lenny O Brien, Dane Robinson, Rod Barber and Laurie Dri for their particular contributions.

The campaign success to date is testimony to the persistant action of members to rightfully improve their working conditions and Fisheries services to the Victorian public.

Please distribute this bulletin and ask your colleagues to join CPSU to have their voice heard and their views represented.

Our 7 day a week, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year industrial protection ensures you have the principal public sector organisation looking after your working rights, winning wage increases, protecting your conditions, and providing personal industrial assistance when you need it.

 

CPSU MEMBERSHIP IS PROTECTION FOR YOUR MOST IMPORTANT ASSET. YOUR JOB.

Speak to a colleague today about the benefits of CPSU membership and have them contribute to our successes rather than just enjoying the benefits.

 

TOGETHER WE DO BETTER!

http://www.cpsuvic.org/public_docs/Work-Can-Change-membership-flyer.pdf
http://www.cpsuvic.org/public_docs/memform.pdf


KAREN BATT
CPSU Victorian Branch Secretary

Monday 24 January 2011