SAS Staff News, August 4 2006

ANOTHER 4% PAY RISE

You should all have received the 4% pay rise gained by the PSA through successful negotiations. The pay rise is to be paid in the first full pay period after the 1st July. Salary increases are only granted after extensive work by the Association in pulling together a work value case and negotiating with the Government and/or the Industrial Relations Commission.

If you are NOT a member, remember that your pay rise comes to you courtesy of the PSA and your colleagues who are PSA members - so why not join.

To join the PSA or if you are having any problems receiving your pay rise please call the PSA on 9290 1555.

RECOGNITION WEEK

A reminder that School Administrative and Support Staff Recognition Week this year is from 28th August to 1st September. The Minister for Education and Training, the Hon Carmel Tebbutt, has enthusiastically agreed to support and launch Schools Recognition Week. This year's theme is "Schools could not function without us".

The PSA will be sending information and material to each school across the state in the middle of August. We want to help you celebrate the wonderful job you do in schools and to make sure it is recognised. Please remind your Principal, P&C and wider school community that this week is coming up.

As part of recognition week the PSA is also running a recruitment competition. It is easy - all you have to do is recruit new members and you will be eligible to win a fantastic prize - a wonderful, relaxing weekend stay (2 nights for 2 people) at Studio Villa in the Hunter Valley (kindly donated by SGE credit union - the credit union for SAS staff) AND $500.00 spending money. Details will be included in the recognition week material.

WOMEN'S CONFERENCE Applications close Friday 11 August

This is a reminder that applications for Annual Women's Conference close Friday 11 August 2006. The conference is on 7 and 8 September in Sydney.

Come along and hear some exciting speakers including:

• Carmel Tebbutt, NSW Minister for Education - Protecting NSW public servants from the ravages of WorkChoices
• Jenny Macklin, Deputy Federal Labor Leader - Federal Labor's industrial relations policies and women workers
• Ariadne Vromen, Senior Lecturer, University of Sydney - Getting more young people to join unions.

All women nominating must be financial members of the PSA.

Full details and a registration form, are available on the PSA website www.psa.labor.net.au or by contacting Chrissie at the PSAWomen's Unit on 9220 0906 or e-mail cjoannou@psa.asn.au.

SMARTBUY - Update

The PSA has met with the Department to discuss their proposed introduction of the SMARTBUY System for schools purchasing. We raised our members' concerns that using SMARTBUY would be double work for SAS Staff because it is not integrated with OASIS.

The Department has promised that the new system will be integrated by the beginning of 2007. We encourage our members not to use SMARTBUY until after it is integrated. You have enough work to do without having to do things twice. We will update you again once the Department has integrated SMARTBUY.

OTHER COMPUTER SYSTEM CHANGES:

Many of you will have heard about Thin Client, ICT, LMBR and other proposed changes to the computer systems you use. Thin Client is the OASIS continuity project - a project to keep OASIS functioning until it is replaced by a new system, ICT program was developed to support technology in schools and LMBR - Learning Management and Business Reform is a massive project developed to pull together all of DET's computer platforms.

The PSA has met with the Department about these projects and has asked the Department to provide an outline of how they relate to each other together with a timeline for these changes. We will keep you informed of progress in future newsletters.

OVERPAYMENTS

If you have been or are in the future contacted by the Department informing you that you have been overpaid here are a few things you need to know.

1. It is illegal for the Department to take money out of your pay without your authorisation.
2. There is an agreement between the Department of Education and Training and the PSA on how these monies should be repaid. (Recovery of Overpayments Guidelines)
3. You should not be pressured into paying back overpayments faster than you can afford.

If you want more information about the recovery of overpayments or if you would like assistance in negotiating repayment terms please phone the PSA Schools Team on 9290 1555.

TEMPORARY STAFF - Please Note

In December 2005 all School Principals were sent a document by the Department entitled Guidelines for the Employment of Temporary Non-Teaching Staff in Schools for 2006. This guideline informs Principals that Short Term employment is a period up to 10 weeks. It advised Principals to ensure that "engagements which exceed 10 weeks are converted to long term temporary employment".

If you have been employed for longer than 10 weeks you should no longer be paid via the e- CPC payroll.

Temporary staff employed for longer than 10 weeks should be converted to the supply payroll. When you are on the supply payroll you will accumulate long service leave, sick leave and other leave entitlements. If you are eligible and someone at your school refuses to place you on the supply payroll you should contact the PSA for assistance.

ENROLMENTS

The new enrolment forms will be issued soon. The PSA met with the Department about the Application to enrol in a NSW Government school. These forms do not appear to add any additional work for administrative staff. However, had the Department met with the Association before they completed the forms they could have been designed to make less work for SAS staff. Unfortunately this did not occur.

You will notice the new forms are an application for enrolment. Students will not be able to be officially enrolled until the Principal has seen the form and signed off on them (See back page of application for enrolment form). The PSA has been advised by the Department that Principals understand this and have agreed to take the responsibility.

DO NOT ENTER DATA FROM THE APPLICATION FOR ENROLMENT FORMS INTO OASIS UNTIL YOUR PRINCIPAL HAS SIGNED THEM OFF.

There are serious OH&S reasons why Principals need to agree to enrolment prior to students being accepted into the school. Your safety and that of your colleagues, other students and the school community depend upon this.

TEACHER AIDE SPECIAL JOBS

The Department has recently advertised approximately 30 new IM/IO teachers aide positions in the Sydney Morning Herald. There will be further positions advertised in the near future so if you are interested keep an eye on your newspapers.

FIRST AID, ADMINISTRATION OF PRESCRIBED MEDICATIONS, HEALTH CARE PROCEDURES

All of the above procedures are voluntary. SAS staff cannot be requested or directed to carry out these functions. SAS staff who do VOLUNTEER should be trained and be in receipt of the appropriate allowance.

The first aid certificate entitles you to perform MINOR first aid. Administration of prescribed medications means giving ONLY prescribed medications. If the medicines have not been prescribed by a DOCTOR then SAS staff should not administer them. Parents are not doctors - a note from mum or dad is not OK. Panadol/analgesics and other 'across the counter' products including creams and ointments are not prescribed medications. SAS staff should refuse to administer medicines not prescribed by a doctor. Health care procedures can only be performed in accordance with the agreement between the Department of Education and Training, The Public Service Association of NSW and the NSW Nurses Association. If you need a copy of this agreement you should contact the Department.

INFORMATION EXPO 2006

The North Coast Regional Conference called the Information Expo 2006 is on this year on 24 and 25 August at Coffs Harbour. Congratulations to the Coffs Harbour Information Expo Conference Committee who have pulled together a great conference with great workshops and great speakers.

The Expo caters for all SAS Staff - Administrative Staff, Special Education Staff and General Assistance.

If you want more information on Information Expo 2006 please visit www.coffs.infoexpo.com.au or call Wendy Hurry on (02) 6653 1666.

GENERAL INFORMATION

The PSA can assist you with any information on your role or entitlements as Administrative Staff, Teachers Aides, Aboriginal Education Assistants or General Assistants - please contact us.

If you would like more information on how to deal with issues in the workplace - whether these are dealing with other staff or the principal or with issues related to students or their health we can advise you.
You can contact the Schools Team on 9290 1555.

Sue Walsh President

Kris Cruden Senior Industrial Officer