News

TAFE NSW – CPSU NSW update – Meeting with Jon Black

TAFE NSW – CPSU NSW update – Meeting with Jon Black – April 2018 (PDF version)

Your union recently met with Jon Black, Managing Director, TAFE NSW on your behalf. Five of your delegates also attended and a member from Campbelltown was invited to speak to her experiences with the interview process across a number of regions. She gave a personal account of how the whole saga has impacted staff emotionally and affected work routine/balance and how this leaves lasting scars with thoughts of the lack of loyalty shown by TAFE to staff. While TAFE may claim “staff welfare” to be one of its Core Values, all evidence in this recruitment process is to the contrary.

Besides the abysmal performance of the recruitment process, your union also highlighted the number of staff, particularly women, in insecure employment. We made reference to people having been long-term temps for between nine and 23 years and who were unable to gain positions in the Group 4 restructure either because they had not been merit selected originally or they had not been upskilled enough by TAFE across the years to be able to deal with the technological advancements required to perform well in the interview and assessment process.

It is our view that TAFE has failed these employees, making use of their loyalty and strong work ethic, then throwing them on the scrap heap at the end of the day.

At the meeting, TAFE was warned by the CPSU NSW that the use of external agencies to support the recruitment process inevitably ends badly. They have no understanding of TAFE culture or public service spirit.

Further meeting outcomes with regard to the dysfunctional recruitment process included:

• Member representatives presented multiple examples of Where, When and How the TAFE recruitment process for Educational Support Officers FAILED
• We told Jon Black most staff were very uncomfortable with the format of the interview process and that staff should not be subject to such impersonal and unfair deliberation
• We raised problems and concerns throughout the entire recruitment process and told Jon Black many staff members (who were both successful and unsuccessful) were disadvantaged because of errors and miscommunications prior to, during and after interviews
• We stated staff appeared to be unfairly treated regarding recruitment for the same position within different regions and that the placement process was very shady
• We clarified we would in no way condone or support TAFE if they were to again use this methodology
• We also sought assurance from TAFE that it would look at individual cases where our members have been disadvantaged through this poorly managed recruitment process. To this end, your Industrial Officer is working in the background to identify potential positions for affected members who are being forced to exit in the coming days.

It is important that you continue to have a say and your voice is heard.

You can support the work of the union and your local delegates by joining the CPSU NSW.

Please forward this to your colleagues so that they know their rights and encourage them to JOIN THE CPSU

Please note ‑ CPSU NSW members are also members of the Public Service Association of NSW. The PSA is the Associated Body for, and resources and manages, the CPSU NSW