Thursday 06 February 2025
Following significant industrial action in 2024, culminating in a historic hundreds-strong rally at Parliament House, child protection members of the Community and Public Sector Union/Civil Service Association (CPSU/CSA) have secured transformative change in the system, with a child protection-specific pay and conditions agreement.
With a specific agreement, workers in the child protection system will have the capability to address workforce issues and unique circumstances related to the system through bargaining for future agreements. In addition, the union has secured additional wage increases for a majority of those in the child safety stream of the child protection system above the 12.5% secured in the Public Sector Civil Service Association Agreement 2024 late last year. This wage increase will make a significant step towards improving caseloads and the exploding unallocated cases list by addressing attraction and retention in the Department.
CPSU/CSA Branch Secretary, Melanie Bray, said this child protection-specific agreement is a significant, member-led win that was a direct result of the collective statewide action taken over the second half of 2024 and will give members the ability to fight for significant system change for decades to come.
“Between July and October last year, child protection members all over Western Australia took significant collective action in their workplaces, culminating in a historic, hundreds-strong rally at Parliament House, demanding that the Cook Labor Government address the significant challenges facing the Child Protection and Family Support system. Today, our members have been offered a child protection-specific agreement; an agreement that will be transformative for child protection in Western Australia.
“This specific agreement will empower members in the child protection system to address specific issues and unique circumstances related to the workforce, to ensure that they can support some of Western Australia’s most vulnerable children and families. In addition to this new opportunity, the union has secured improved wages for many case-carrying roles, which is a crucial step towards addressing unsustainable caseloads and the record-high unallocated cases list by tackling the attraction and retention issues in the system.
“CPSU/CSA members in the Child Protection and Family Support system should be incredibly proud their collective, statewide action has led to real transformative change for some of Western Australia’s most vulnerable children and families.”
ENDS
- The Department of Communities (Child Protection) CSA Agreement 2024, as the agreement will be titled, will cover over 2000 workers in the Child Protection and Family Support system.
- The CPSU/CSA covers 44,000 general public sector workers, one-quarter of the WA public sector, including child protection officers, youth custodial officers, park rangers, veterinary scientists and dental technicians.
- Note to Journalists: Please ensure the full acronym, “CPSU/CSA” when mentioning us. “CPSU” is typically used to refer to the Union that covers Commonwealth, ACT and NT public sector workers. We are related but separate organisations.
For more information or to arrange further comment from Branch Secretary Melanie Bray, please contact CPSU/CSA Reception on 08 9323 3800 and ask for the Media and Stakeholder Engagement Officer.
