Enterprise Industrial Relations
The staff of the Attorney General’s Department are represented by two main associations – the Public Service Association and the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance, whilst the Australian Salaried Medical Officers’ Federation (New South Wales) has coverage of a Medical Specialist attached to the Compensation Court.
The Department has established a Peak Consultative Committee (PCC) comprising senior officers of the Department and representatives of the two main associations. The PCC meets every three months.
Matters impacting on individual business units are generally dealt with through local consultative committees.
Crown Employees (Public Sector-Salaries June 1997) Award
Salary increases totaling 10.37% were paid under the Crown Employees (Public Sector Salaries June 1997) Award. These were in the form of 3% and 2% from 1 July 1998 and 3% and 2% from January 1999 and were paid accumulatively. They are the last increases available under the award which expires on 31 December 1999.
Under the Framework Documents negotiated with the award the parties agreed to continue to progress, at organisation level, those matters identified under the Framework Documents which accompanied the Crown Employees (Public Sector-Salaries August 1995) Award. Such matters include job and work redesign, new classifications where there is an identified special need and matters related to hours.
In addition, the parties agreed to consult with a view to developing guidelines which support, at organisation level:
- Use of productivity and other measures;
- Introduction of performance management;
- Introduction of competency based training; and
- Implementation of joint strategies to reduce workers compensation costs.
To this end, the Public Sector Management Office and the Public Service Association entered into a Memorandum of Understanding as part of a three year sector wide Occupational Health, Safety and Injury Management Improvement Initiative on workers compensation performance across the NSW public sector.
Crown Employees (Senior Officers Salaries 1997) Award
The Crown Employees (Senior Officers Salaries 1997) Award was also varied in similar terms to the Crown Employees (Public Sector-Salaries June 1997) Award. The award covers officers in receipt of salaries above that paid to Administrative and Clerical Officers, Clerk, Grade 12, but not members of the Senior Executive Service. The purpose of the Senior Officer classification is to provide additional capacity for the New South Wales Public Service to recognise work value of non-senior executive positions. The Department has established 13 positions of Senior Officer Grade 1 and one position of Senior Officer Grade 2 under the award.
Crown Employees (Public Service Conditions of Employment 1997) Award
The Crown Employees (Public Service Conditions of Employment 1997) Award was ratified on 28 October 1997 and contains conditions relating to hours of duty, allowances, leave, trade union activities and shiftwork and overtime. Under Clause 10 of the award local arrangements may be negotiated between the Department Head and the relevant trade union in respect of the whole of the Department or part of a Department.
Negotiations are continuing under Clause 10 of the award over the introduction of a flexible working hours scheme in the Office of the Protective Commissioner and Public Guardian. Negotiations are also continuing on the development of guidelines to allow for the extension of flexible working hours schemes across the Department.