Appendix 4 - Enterprise Industrial Relations
Union Representation
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. The Australian Salaried Medical Officers’ Federation (New South Wales) represents the 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 cost centres are generally dealt with through local consultative committees.
Crown Employees (Public Sector-Salaries January 2000) Award.
The Crown Employees (Public Sector-Salaries June 1997) Award expired on 31 December 1999. It was replaced by a new consent award, the Crown Employees (Public Sector-Salaries January 2000) Award, which was ratified in the Industrial Relations Commission of New South Wales on 21 March 2000. This award will expire on 31 December 2001.
Under the award salaries were increased by 2 per cent from 1 January 2000 and will be increased by a further 2 per cent from 1 January 2001. The parties also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) outlining their commitments under the award which, if fulfilled, will allow further salary increases as follows:
1 January 2002 3%
1 January 2003 4%
30 June 2003 5%
These latter increases will be made under another award and only 2 per cent of each increase will be funded by Treasury. The balance of the increases, ie 6 per cent, will be funded from savings generated from workplace reform, both sector wide and in individual agencies, which are negotiated with the relevant unions. These savings will be identified during the life of the current award.
Five key sector wide priorities are identified in the MOU. These are:
· Service Delivery;
· Review the Legislative and Employment Framework;
· Advance NSW as a Digital State;
· Continue Corporate Service Reform Efficiencies; and,
· Modern Structures and Pay Systems.
In terms of action to be taken by agencies, it is expected that the Department will:
· Prepare a draft management agenda (for later discussion with the relevant union/s) that delivers efficiency benefits of sufficient value to fund the unfunded component of the wage increases;
· Give consideration to workplace reform and service delivery enhancement initiatives;
· Give consideration to the short, medium and long term objectives of the agenda;
· Acknowledge savings generated from these proposals over the first year of implementation and subsequent years; and
· Forward a brief outline of the management agenda to the PSMO by 31 March 2000. confirmed)
In addition to new initiatives to be formally identified the Department will continue to progress the initiatives already commenced and reported upon in previous years:
· Use of productivity and other measures;
· Extension of performance management across the entire Department;
· Introduction of competency based training; and
· Implementation of joint strategies to reduce workers compensation costs.
Crown Employees (Senior Officers Salaries 2000) Award
Although formal advice has yet to be received to this effect, it is expected that a new Crown Employees (Senior Officers Salaries 2000) Award will be made in similar terms to the Crown Employees (Public Sector-Salaries January 2000) Award. The current 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.
Corporate Services Review
Continuing Corporate Services Reform has been identified as a service wide priority under the MOU signed earlier this year pursuant to the Crown Employees Award. It is expected the Corporate Services Reform Unit of the Premier’s Department will continue to co-ordinate a Corporate Services Review across the Public Sector. Under the review the Department will be expected to identify potential savings across a broad range of corporate service areas with specific attention to :
· purchasing and procurement;
· property management;
· human resource management and processing;
· financial management and account processing;
· information management and technology; and
· general administration.
The potential savings identified will be included in the Department’s Management agenda to be provided to the PSMO (see above).
Flexible Working Hours
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, 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 a department or part of a department.
A trial of a flexible working hours scheme, in accordance with Clause 10 of the award, has commenced 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.
Negotiations have commenced with the PSA to develop a framework for changes to flexible working hours which meets the needs of staff and clients.
CONTENTIOUS ISSUE
Leave reconciliation
With the implementation of the Aurion Human Resource Management System in 1997, all leave data from the former Millennium Human Resource Management System was electronically migrated. This resulted in the detection of a number of inaccuracies.
An audit of all leave records was therefore undertaken. The extent of the inaccuracies was ascertained and a structured reconciliation process commenced. This is due for completion by June 2000. Records will then be monitored weekly.
information current as of: 14 February 2012