Report on the Revised “Lifelong Learning” Proposal for TAFE & DET

Yesterday the Department released its revised proposal of Lifelong Learning. The PSA steering committee for our campaign, which consists of delegates and staff, teleconferenced today and this report follows from their deliberations.

STILL NOT HAPPY JAN

The loss of jobs is still unacceptable to the PSA. The Department has advised the union that in the revised proposal approximately 280 educational support staff jobs are to go, with more to be determined at the completion of the Corporate Services Review.

The PSA has written to the Director-General of Education and the Managing Director of TAFE requesting a list of positions by classification, grade, directorate and workplace that have been deleted as result of the revised proposal. Failure to provide this information by 3 October may result in further industrial action.

As well the PSA would like members to tell us where jobs are going in their area, so that we can compare that with what we are provided by the Department. Please send this information to tafe-det@psa.asn.au

MEETING ON MONDAY

The PSA will be meeting with Departmental representatives on Monday 29 September, where we will be raising directly the issue of where the job cuts are coming from, the lack of detail in relation to the TAFE structures provided, current vacancy rates, number of displaced officers, structure of the Educational Support Centres, how positions been evaluated. No doubt more questions will be raised as we start receiving more information from PSA members. We will be meeting with departmental representative at least weekly over the next 6 weeks.

SOME WINS

The PSA's response to Lifelong Learning has however gained some wins from the Department. This includes maintaining a separate identity for TAFE NSW, the increasing of the number of proposed Regions from 8 to 10 (Riverina and North Coast), increasing the number of Educational Support Centres from 29 to 44, including maintaining Port Jackson.

KEEP UP THE PRESSURE

PSA members support for bans, the work to rule and the various rallies that we have held across the state have had some impact with the Department. However it is important that this pressure is kept on the Department. Accordingly the PSA is recommending that all PSA workplace groups consider the following motion to reinforce the work to rule that was placed early on in the campaign. The motion reads:

That this workplace endorses a Work to Rule across the NSW public sector in response to proposed job losses and budget cuts.

A Work to Rule includes the following:

• Hours - members are to work to their contract hours. Anything outside is only to acquire the necessary hours to accrue a flex
• Flex days and Rostered Days Off that are due are to be taken
• Members are not to work outside of their statement of duties or position description.
• No goodwill to management.
• Members are only to do their job. Not the work of vacant positions or additional special projects.
• Lunch breaks and computer breaks are mandatory away from the workplace.

EAGER WORKERS

The PSA has seconded Shane Jobberns from TAFE and Jenny Long from DET to assist with our campaign. If you would like Shane or Jenny to organise a PSA meeting at your workplace please contact Shane on 9220 0912 or sjobberns@psa.asn.au or Jenny on 9220 0930 or jlong@psa.asn.au

THIS LIST

If you want to be added to our broadcast list for TAFE/DET send your email address to lcarr@psa.asn.au