TAFE delays voting period

TAFE delays voting period – September 11, 2015 (PDF version)

TAFE have written to your PSA (CPSU) bargaining team advising that due to a “systems error” approximately 152 staff did not receive TAFE’s notice that they were commencing the access period for the proposed enterprise agreement. The PSA (CPSU) has written to TAFE requesting details on the “systems error”, the circumstances surrounding it and if an extension to a September 16 deadline has been approved by the NSW Wages Policy Task Force for TAFENSW to provide back pay.

As Fair Work requires a 7 day access period before voting on the agreement can commence, TAFE have advised that voting will now open on Wednesday 16 September and close on Monday 21 September.

Has TAFE revised their proposal?

NO           TAFE are still offering the same slashed conditions, including:

• An increase in working hours for the majority of staff from 35 to 36.25 hours per week

• The removal of RDOs

• A rushed and untested classification structure with no protection from forced pay cuts

• The ability for all staff to be rostered on to broken shifts

• The ability for all permanent positions to be made permanent part year (36 weeks per year)

• Extending the daily bandwidth to 6am – 9pm

• Removal of shift penalties

THE PSA (CPSU) still recommends all staff to VOTE NO to slashed conditions.

What about back pay?

TAFE has consistently maintained that in order for staff to receive a 2.5% pay rise back paid to 1 July, an agreement would need to be reached by 16 September. Throughout bargaining, TAFE have also maintained that they did not have the ability to ask for extensions. This further delay means that there is ZERO chance of an agreement being made by 16 September.

How do I find out what my likely salary will be in the new classification structure?

During bargaining, the PSA (CPSU) requested a complete translation table so all staff had access to information for the re-classification of their jobs. TAFE refused to provide this. The PSA (CPSU) was able to get a small sample which included:

• Technical Officer (Engineering) Grade 1-3 from a max of $77,045 to a max of $61,382 (a loss of $15,663)

• Technical Officer (Scientific) Grade 1-3 from a max of $87,591 to a max of $61,382 (a loss of $26,209)

In addition, by comparing the proposed Work Level Standards (WLS), we have found the following re-grading outcomes:

• Clerk 7/8 from $95,050 per year to $70,275

• Clerk 5/6 from $83,371 per year to $62,782

• Clerk 3/4 from $70,087 per year to $56,087

However, you can test this for yourself. Go to TAFE management’s own EBA website and locate both the salary spine and the WLS documents. The salary spine enables you to find your current salary. Then use the WLS standards to work out which level your new classification will be. A number of members have done this and reported they would be facing a huge loss in salary.

Confused?         All the more reason to Vote No!

TAFE have proven that they can’t even send out a notice to all staff notifying the commencement of the access period, let alone correctly re-grade your position without any salary loss.

What happens if staff Vote No?

All current conditions, and salary points, remain in place and are protected by law. Despite reports that TAFE have been suggesting otherwise, TAFE will be forced back to the negotiation table to continue good faith bargaining.

To reject these slashed conditions, and force TAFENSW back to the negotiating table, Vote No!

Not a member? Join the PSA (CPSU) today to fight for improvements instead of slashed wages and conditions