Clarence CC Update – July 2020 (PDF version)
Thank you for your support and patience over the past few weeks. We recognise that the reception of inmates into the Clarence Correctional Centre has posed new challenges for many of you in the workplace as systems are tested. Your feedback on issues has been useful for us in order to identify trends and issues in the centre as operations increase.
Yesterday representatives of the CPSU NSW met with General Manager Glen Scholes to negotiate a path forward on a number of industrial matters that are arising.
This appears to be the major concern for most of you. Mr Scholes agreed this has been stretched as operative areas of the gaol have opened up. Serco intends to release a more comprehensive and stable roster next week which should provide more stability. Our demands will be that this roster must afford adequate fatigue management and notice in order for members to manage the competing demands of home and work. We would appreciate all of you closely examining whatever proposal is put forward and providing feedback to us to take up with the company.
This will be the method by which we can secure better terms and conditions of employment in all facets for you, including pay, rostering, job security and safety. You are currently employed on the Federal Modern Award, a woefully inadequate instrument never intended for this purpose and not used by any other centre in any other jurisdiction in the country. Over the coming weeks we will be asking employees to sign a pledge card, indicating their support for this process commencing. When enough staff members do so we can approach the company again to initiate enterprise bargaining themselves or else seek orders from the Fair Work Commission to do so. Frankly this is non-negotiable from our position – you deserve a fairer deal and this will be the means to get it.
We have advised Mr Scholes that a combination of Prisons Industrial Officer David McCauley, Regional Organisers Asren Pugh and Rebecca Reilly and Assistant Secretary Troy Wright will be visiting Clarence one day a week from here on both to provide membership information and the aforementioned pledge cards to staff to execute. We will be available in the Mess Hall between 11:00am and 1:00pm. If you are rostered on one of these days, please come and say hello and introduce a colleague.
The amount, particularly on night shift, and the quality remain relevant and justified concerns for many of you. Once the rostering issue is addressed we have advised Mr Scholes this will be the next issue that will require attention and discussion. The situation in Serco insisting no outside foodstuffs be introduced into the Centre is unusual. It is our position though that in doing so, they need to ensure that there is adequate food provided to all staff during all shifts or else be at risk of breaching WHS obligations.
This is the start of what may prove to be a long and arduous process. We want to assure you that we are committed to seeing it through and are determined to make your working lives safe, rewarding and better remunerated.
Thane Pearce Industrial Manager
David McCauley Industrial Officer
Rebecca Reilly Regional Organiser
CPSU NSW Grafton Office
2/12 Prince Street
Grafton NSW 2460
1300 772 679
