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TAFE Restructure Update

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The CPSU NSW recently wrote to TAFE NSW with a list of questions about the SSB and FM&L restructures we felt were unanswered or, at the very least, unclear. TAFE’s response to your union’s letter is attached HERE for your information. Your CPSU NSW officials and delegates formally met with TAFE NSW at the end of last week to discuss our concerns, and as a result of this meeting we can confirm the following.

• The SSB survey has been extended to 13 July 2021. We have confirmed that you will not be prejudiced by not filling out the survey or parts of the survey. All the Equity and Diversity Questions are voluntary and was only included to help HR update employee records in SAP their records. Anyone who completed the survey can complete the survey again; it will override any earlier submissions. Any data in the survey is only seen by the ODP team staff and is referred to People and Safety BPs to update SAP records where required.
• There will be no psychometric testing for TAFE Worker Levels employees who are involved in the Step 2 and 3 of the process. TAFE NSW informed the CPSU NSW this was a miscommunication. Whereas some management positions under the new structure will require a psychometric test in order to be successful in the position, the vast majority of TAFE NSW employees will not have to participate in psychometric testing at all.
• The placemats provide more clarity about what the functions and duties in the new teams will be. If you’re still unsure about these functions and duties, you should contact your line manager or HR Business Partner.
• Location preferences were discussed during this meeting, and TAFE NSW has advised that this is to assist the placement process. It is the position of the CPSU NSW that members should only include a preference if they would actually be prepared to work there. There is no obligation to put multiple preferences; if you don’t want to work somewhere, don’t put it down at all. We understand that this will vary between metropolitan, regional and remote areas where travel times are longer.
• TAFE has confirmed the Customer Service ratios for campus specific roles were determined based on the total enrolments, and not the completion rates. The union does not accept the allocation of less than one Customer Service staff to any campus at any time. The union believes some of the negotiable position roles should be reassigned to specific locations, as TSC coverage is not guaranteed.
• TAFE NSW has outright rejected VR swaps, so we will be further pursuing this in the interest of members. They have provided clarity about when you can express interest in VR, which is after the Step 2 process is completed and before the Step 3 process starts, but we still don’t know exactly how this will work in practice, or what the criteria for VRs will be. TAFE referred to the VR Calculator and criteria on the TAFE NSW Intranet. We are also seeking clarification about the separation payments for temporary employees.
• Regarding the generalised statements of duties in the Position Descriptions for TWL3, 4, and 6 roles, the union’s position is that no employee should do any work outside their Position Description. If you are unsure about tasks assigned to you that are not in your Position Description, please contact your local delegate or the Members Support Centre.
• The union will be looking closely at members’ actual duties after stand up, and comparing them to the Contemporary Classification Structure. The CPSU NSW will be holding TAFE accountable to ensure members are not being taken advantage of. The union can also advise members about whether or not they should pursue a Section 23 classification review provided for in the Enterprise Agreement where their role exceeds their grade.
• All employees once they are placed into their new role will have a single home campus, from which any travel is subject to what constitutes ‘reasonable’. Location various has been clarified to mean ‘various location-specific roles’, so there are no roles that will require an employee to attend multiple campuses without negotiation.
• Employees who are asked to travel in their new roles have the same rights to negotiate based on what is reasonable and fair, and to be compensated according to the Enterprise Agreement. If you’re unsure as to what constitutes unreasonable, you can contact the CPSW NSW.
• TAFE NSW has agreed not to use pre-recorded interviews as a part of the recruitment process. All interviews will be directly with the interview panel, either live over MS Teams or in person.

The CPSU NSW is awaiting a meeting invite from TAFE NSW to discuss the mapping/matching process, which we anticipate will be held this coming Thursday. We are hoping to have a clearer understanding of how positions were mapped/matched as a part of the restructure, which is something that TAFE NSW has failed to inform the CPSU NSW until now. Your union is also awaiting a response from a letter written to TAFE NSW regarding the Facilities Restructure. We will be able to communicate this to you once they have responded.

Finally, the CPSU NSW has organised a number of member meetings to discuss the above, and any further questions or concerns that you may have. These meetings are scheduled as follows:

• Western Sydney Region & Digital Tuesday 13 July 9:30am-10:30am Contact: Glenda Pryor
• Sydney Region Tuesday 13 July 12:00pm-1:00pm Contact: Joe Harris
• West Region Tuesday 13 July 1:00pm-2:00pm Contact: Leanne Riley
• Northern Region Wednesday 14 July 9:30am-10:30am Contact: Marc Fearby or Liz Garlick
• South Region Wednesday 14 July 11:00am-12:00pm Contact: Nicholas Wright
• Evening option (all welcome) Wednesday 14 July 7:30pm Contact: Liz Garlick

Your local delegate will be in touch to provide you with further information, including the link that will enable you to participate in these meetings.

In the meantime, if you know of anybody who isn’t a union member but would like to join, they can join online here: cpsunsw.org.au/join/. We are stronger as a collective, and acting in union is the only way that we will be able to stand up and fight against TAFE’s blatant cost-cutting measures.