Activities, Agreements & Disputes - 2017/18 Financial Report

Updated 26/11/2018
During the year the union has been involved in a range of activities and our Financial Report 2017/18 sets these out including all the Government's social policy Committees and Taskforces such as the Premier’s Ice Taskforce, NDIS Implementation Taskforce, Public Sector OHS Leadership Round Table, Victorian Government Skills Commission Industry Advisory Group and the Social Services Taskforce overseeing the implementation of the Royal Commission’s Recommendations in relation to Family Violence.  CPSU was also invited to join the Emergency Worker Harm Reference Group looking at Government responses to occupational violence in a number of program areas against public sector workers.  As the transition from Disability Services to the new Commonwealth NDIA picked up speed, the union worked with DHHS and the members to either assist in transitioning to the NDIA or to be redeployed into other positions within DHHS or broader VPS.  The union continued to work on the cadetship scheme in the VPS in partnership with the Victorian Government with 21 cadets graduating during the year and a further 56 new cadets commencing in the second round.  The union also commenced a secure employment campaign utilising the clause in the VPS EBA with a view to having casuals and fixed term employees converted to ongoing. The campaign was also designed to highlight the misuse by the Departments and Agencies of consultants and Labour Hire staff to fill ongoing VPS roles, costing the State millions of dollars.  The Branch worked in conjunction with the Federal Office of the union on making submissions to the Upper House Inquiry into the commercialisation of the Land Titles Office.

Activities
  • CPSU launches our ‘The Real Cost’ campaign with workers at the titles office to stop the privatisation of their land data work.
  • Pay rises flow through on 1st July for members in a range of agencies under our Agreements.
  • CPSU called for feedback from members about the procurement of departmental uniforms and also writes to all public service employers about their procurement practices.
  • DHHS Departmental wide restructure following machinery changes for Family Services Victoria (FSV) and OPWE as well as the new 452 Child Protection positions have been allocated to divisions.
  • The prosecution of DOJR by WorkSafe over the riot in 2015 at the Metropolitan Remand Centre Management generated multiple inquiries from member.
  • CPSU hosts a members and supporters gathering ahead of the planned postal ballot for marriage equality.
  • CPSU establishes a Cultural and Arts Agencies Network (CAAN) for the Arts Agencies members.
  • Opens nominations for the Gayle Smith Award which recognises significant contributions to OHS.
  • New legislation passes to have matters heard in higher courts with much tougher consequences for young people who assault youth justice officers inside detention as well as end concurrent sentencing for those young offenders who damage property, escape or attempt to escape from a youth justice facility.
  • A major fire in the server room at Port Phillip Prison restricted prison operations and out of cell hours were restricted requiring a significant staff contribution to keep order and safety under the difficult circumstances.
  • A unilateral decision to remove a sun shade above the Information Desk inside NGVI ahead of a severe heatwave resulted in a visit from WorkSafe as temperatures soar for staff.
  • CPSU, in conjunction with G&C Mutual Bank, continues our tertiary scholarship program awarding $1,000 every year to support members and their families attempting a suitable tertiary course.
  • CPSU members join with other union members and hit the streets to demand new rules so Australians get fair pay rises and more secure jobs.
  • New laws are introduced to the Victorian Parliament making it a crime to intimidate and harass (including by making threats to the families of) Prison Officers, Youth Justice Officers and Police Custody Officers amongst other emergency worker professions.
  • Significant work was commenced during the year to improve Departmental responses to OHS issues such as bullying, occupational violence, inappropriate procurement and broader risk mitigation strategies with a major focus on the development of and implementation of the Mental Health and Wellbeing Charter, including extensive involvement in various Inter Departmental Committees developing the strategies for the roll out of all aspects of the Charter.
  • Ran a Sign up a Sister promotion was run again to support International Women’s Day lunch at which 126 participated.
  • Union commenced work focussing on the Gender Pay Gap by launching it # 100% campaign focussing on building Gender Pay Advocates to campaign for equal pay and the union was invited onto the Equal Workplaces Advisory Council as part of the Victorian Government’s Gender Equality strategy.
  • The union recruited 2392 new members during the 2017/2018 financial year.
  • CPSU received 215 notifications of change and opened 1160 new cases on behalf of members comprising of 649 standard cases, 449 “enquiry” cases (email, phone & walk-in) and 66 Workcover cases.

Agreements
Dental Health, Electorate Officers, G4S Port Phillip Prison, Health Purchasing Victoria, Royal Botanic Gardens, Schools, Serco, Southern Rural Water, State Trustees, VicHealth, VIT.

Disputes
  • WORKSAFE about the Operational Motor Vehicle policy, Telematics and Personal Duress Alarm issues.
  • SERCO about the lack of agreed minimum hours of work for part time operators in the proposed Agreement.
  • DELWP over our concerns around the proposed Forest Fire Regions Group restructure and the process that would assess 300 unmatched employees after spill of positions. DELWP with the office refurbishment at 8 Nicholson Street with concerns with the lack of space and privacy; appropriate mix of workstation designs; levels of consultation; and consideration of individual work and task requirements.
  • Progression and Top of Grade or Value Range payment disputes with CAV & DEDJTR again telling employees that payments are “being considered together” and that they will be restricted due to budget constraints and managers attempting to apply higher standards or requirements.
  • DoJR over a suitable mounting device for the in-car tablets for the Sheriffs Officers.
  • VICSES to discuss the ramifications of the introduction of change to vehicle fleet and the new commuter use scheme which diminishes operational capacity.
  • Long running dispute with VicPol over the issue of substitute leave for part timer Forensic Officers who work on weekends is resolved with the granting of four days paid leave in lieu plus one day of paid leave in recognition of Easter Saturday and Sunday.
  • Shift Allowance win at Zoo for Band 6 and 7 staff who work weekends now receiving shift allowances with back-pay to the commencement of the current Enterprise Agreement also paid.
  • Fatigue concerns arise from the current Karreenga custodial rosters and WorkSafe is called into investigate and require modification to address the potential for work-related fatigue concerns.
  • The Treasurer confirms he will proceed with the sale by lease of just parts of the land titles registry after our ‘The Real Cost’ campaign.
  • A Corrections Commissioners’ directive to prison General Managers to find operational savings causes friction as changes are imposed to posts and rosters that affect staff safety.

Union details
The number of full time equivalents employees at 30 June 2018 was 47.35 (2017: 46.2)
The number of financial members, inclusive of the Retired Officers Division, at 30 June 2018 was 13,532 (2017: 13,717).

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