Public Sector Salaries Award - Document 2

The following document, the "Co-operative Negotiating Agenda" is one of two main documents which will be incorportated into the Crown Employees (Public Sector Salaries 1997) Award. The other is the "Heads of Agreement" which is the subject of the News Item, "Public Sector Salaries Award - Document 1".

The Co-operative Negotiation Agenda
Between Public Service Association, Public Employment Office and other employers to the Crown Employees (Public Sector Salaries) Award

The Agenda consists of the following:

• Corporate Services Review. Full co-operation of the Association through consultative processes to identify and implement agreed measures to achieve real identifiable savings.

• Regional Service Delivery. For instance, support of the Association to consult on relocations of staff to new locations - subject to satisfactory negotiation of employment options, accommodation etc.

• Information Technology - Facilitative consultative arrangements which may result in the implementation of initiatives, such as:
  - telecommuting, telecentres, and information kiosks; - work from home; and - spread of hours in staffing IT functions.

• Agreement to consult on application of market testing and contracting out in accordance with the Government's Service Competition Policy, where appropriate. It is recognised that there is a need for clear guidelines and support for "in-house" team bids.

• Consultation with a view to developing protocols for managing staff who have not been redeployed and do not accept voluntary redundancy (no forced redundancy).

• Simplified or broadbanded classification structures to be developed at the service- wide level to be implemented following job redesign at the organisation level (as necessary) and in a timeframe that recognises the cost of implementation as well as the financial resources available to them. The classification structures to be developed for all public sector groups covered by the Association.

  In developing the structures regard is to be had to the relationship with other groups employed and discussions are to occur between the Association and the employers affected.

• Agreement to consult on arrangements such as:
  - Extended hours of duty arrangements.
  - All existing leave provisions be reviewed to ensure maximum flexibility is available at the organisation level to meet the needs of the business, staff and customers.
  - Facility to enable the parties at the organisation level to regularise ad hoc payments through annualised allowances or incorporated in salary e.g., annual leave loading.
  - Payment of travelling allowance for each overnight stay plus meal allowances for additional hours away - no pro-rata travelling allowances.
  - Greater flexibility in staffing arrangements e.g. use of part-time employees.

• The parties agree that those matters being progressed by the parties at the organisation level under the Framework to the Crown Employees (Public Sector Salaries August 1995) Award should continue. Such matters include job and work redesign, new classifications where there is an identified special need and matters related to hours.

• Where both parties consider it to be appropriate, the assistance of the Labor Council be sought to facilitate the formation of Single Bargaining Units with other unions at the organisation level to achieve improvements by removing demarcation in work and to streamline working arrangements. In these circumstances, the Association will co-operate fully in the organisation level Single Bargaining Units.

• Where both parties consider it to be appropriate, then approaches may be made to the Labor Council and other unions to look at the rationalisation of union coverage within individual organisations and across organisations.

• The parties will consult with a view to developing guidelines which support:
  - Use of productivity and other measures at the organisation level.
  - Introduction of performance management systems in organisations.
  - Implementation of competency based training at the organisation level.
  - Implementation of joint strategies at the organisation level to reduce workers compensation costs.