Thursday 29 February 2024
Following extensive consultation, a powerful mandate from the grassroots membership and the endorsement of workplace Delegates, the Community and Public Sector/Civil Service Association (CPSU/CSA) will this week initiate bargaining for a replacement Public Sector Civil Service Association Agreement 2022 with a set of regional-specific claim items designed by regional public sector workers so that they can afford to live and live a better life in regional WA.
Regional CPSU/CSA members are seeking improvements to a raft of regional conditions through bargaining, including that their Annual Leave Travel Concession be paid as a lump sum, an inconvenience allowance be paid when their work requires an overnight stay away from home and that the travelling allowance be available to purchase groceries and pre-prepared meals.
In addition, CPSU/CSA members will make improving District Allowance and the Government Regional Officers Housing (GROH) scheme the focus of a Regional Entitlements Review with Government Sector Labour Relations (GSLR), secured in the last round of Agreement bargaining and set to commence in 2024.
These priorities were established via extensive consultation with WA regional public sector workers, with roughly 1000 individuals living in locations spanning Kununurra in the North, Kalgoorlie-Boulder to the East and Albany in the South providing input via union meetings and an online survey.
CPSU/CSA Branch Secretary, Rikki Hendon, said securing improved conditions and allowances through both Agreement bargaining and the Regional Entitlements Review will be an important first step to addressing WA’s public sector regional attraction and retention crisis.
“Accessible, reliable, locally-delivered public services underpin the capacity to live a better life in regional Western Australia, but this is being undermined by persistent difficulties attracting and retaining skilled staff to do the work. The Government needs to offer pay and conditions that inspire people to live and work delivering public services in regional WA, and keep them there for the long term.”
“This week, our Union is submitting claims for public sector pay and conditions bargaining that are specifically aimed at tackling the cost of living and the attraction and retention crisis in regional WA, to ensure public sector workers in the regions can afford to live and live a better life.”
“By seeking improvements to conditions such as Annual Leave Travel Concessions, Travelling Allowance, District Allowances and the Government Regional Officers Housing Scheme through both Agreement bargaining and the Regional Entitlements Review, we are beginning the important work of making the public sector an employer of choice for regional Western Australians once again.
“Our members have made it very clear; their regional entitlements simply are not working for them as intended. Members from Kununurra to Kalgoorlie-Boulder to Albany are ready to work constructively with the Government to address the serious attraction and retention crisis in regional WA, and this is the first step in that process.”
ENDS
- 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.
- The union will initiate a Regional Entitlements Review, secured in negotiations for the Public Sector Civil Service Association Agreement 2022, to progress discussions about improving District Allowance and the Government Regional Officers Housing scheme.
- The Public Sector Civil Service Association Agreement 2022 expires on the 13th of June 2024.
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The union will lodge its log of claims for a new Agreement this week. A summary of regional-specific claim items includes:
- Paying the Annual Leave Travel Concession as an annual lump sum allowance and remove the employer’s discretion to choose the mode of transport.
- Payment of the Travelling Allowance per trip and the allowance can be used for groceries and pre-prepared meals.
- Introduce an inconvenience allowance for employees who in the course of their duties are required to have an overnight stay away from their usual place of residence.
- Access to Travelling time for Regional Employees (under the personal leave provisions) to include dependents and/or people in the employee's care.
- Expand the list of locations deemed "remote and isolated" for employees under CSA coverage.
- Bring the Air Conditioning subsidy into the Public Sector Civil Service Association Agreement as an industrially protected allowance.
- The union will also initiate a Regional Entitlements Review, secured in negotiations for the Public Sector Civil Service Association Agreement 2022, to progress discussions about improving District Allowance and the Government Regional Officers Housing scheme with the Government.
- For further information: CPSU/CSA TO INITIATE BARGAINING; CALLS FOR 7% + %5 PAY RISE & 4-DAY WORKWEEK
- For further information: WA PUBLIC SECTOR WORKERS CALL FOR GENDER AFFIRMATION LEAVE
For more information or to arrange further comment from Branch Secretary Rikki Hendon, please contact CPSU/CSA Reception on 08 9323 3800 and ask for the Media and Stakeholder Engagement Officer.
