Merry Christmas from CPSU NSW (PSA) – November 2018 (PDF version)
We’re approaching another festive period and we’d like to take this opportunity to thank all the delegates and members who contribute to make the CPSU NSW (PSA) such a united, strong and respected union. As in other years, the Government has announced a closedown for the 2018-19 Christmas and New Year period.
The dates for this closedown are Monday 24 December 2018 until Friday 4 January 2019 inclusive. There is an additional public holiday granted on Wednesday 27 December 2018 for all staff and a half day concessional leave provision for staff required to work on Monday 24 December 2018.
You can read the announcement HERE.
Yes. While the NSW Government encourages all non-frontline areas to shut down over the Christmas and New Year period, you are not required to put up a justification or a ‘business case’ to explain why you do not want to take leave.
Staff who intend to work should contact their relevant manager with their proposed dates.
Some agencies will be required to maintain full or reduced services. This means at least some staff may have to work through this period.
Unless you can be directed to take leave (see below), it is your choice as to whether you work or not. If your office is going to be closed, a reasonable alternative work arrangement must be made available for you.
This would mean meaningful work in a reasonable location.
If you choose to work and you feel that the only location offered is not reasonable, please contact the CPSU NSW/PSA Members Support Centre on 1300 772 679.
You can be asked to take recreation leave if you have an ‘excess’ balance of 40 days or more as defined by clause 90.2.3 of the TAFE Commission of NSW Administrative, Support and Related Employees Enterprise Agreement 2016. For shift workers, an ‘excess’ balance is 50 days or more.
Under Clause 90.2.5, TAFE NSW may direct an employee to take their annual leave to reduce leave balances to below eight weeks or its hourly equivalent “within a reasonable time period and at a time convenient to TAFE NSW”.
This has been a difficult year for many members. Your health and welfare is important so the CPSU NSW encourages members to regularly take recreation leave for their own health and welfare. Christmas and the New Year are a great time to do so.
No. You cannot be directed to take extended leave, or leave without pay. However, if you have no recreation leave or not enough recreation leave available, and you want to take the time off, you can request to take leave without pay.
Yes. A combination of Flex and Rec leave is the most common way to use the shutdown period. You should consult with your manager about accruing and using your flex for the Christmas shutdown. The usual accrual rules still apply, you cannot be forced to accrue flex time and you can’t be forced to take rec leave before flex leave if your rec leave accrual is not in excess of the 40 days.
If you do not have any leave available to use, and you want to work, then management must find you work at a reasonable location. This could mean working from another campus within a reasonable distance. You could, of course, expect some change in your regular duties for this period, as long as it is within your skillset and pay grade. For example, if you work in administration you should not be asked to work in the garden or the brick shed.
M 24 Dec, Leave/Flex. First day of shutdown
T 25 Dec, Public Holiday (X-mas day)
W 26 Dec, Public Holiday (Boxing Day)
T 27 Dec, Public Holiday (Public service holiday)
F 28 Dec, Leave/Flex
M 31 Dec, Leave/Flex
T 1 Jan, Public Holiday (New Year’s Day)
W 2 Jan, Leave/flex
T 3 Jan, Leave/Flex
F 4 Jan, Leave/Flex. Final day of shutdown.
If you are having issues with any of the above, contact TAFE People and Culture in the first instance to try to resolve it. If that doesn’t work, then give your Union a call on 1300 772 679.
You can support the work of your 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 NSW.
Print a copy of this bulletin from the PDF link above, and leave copies for your colleagues in your lunch room, the mail room or common areas. You can print off a membership form at (Insert link) to go with the Union Update.
Let us know if you do this so we can be prepared for questions and enquiries from potential and new members.
Be Union! Be Proud! Share why you’re a member and ask your colleagues to contribute like you do by becoming a member today!
