TAFE matters
Salaries
Federation is still pursuing the full flow on of the 12 per cent general salary and allowances increase to all of its members, as well as the additional salary increases granted to school promotions positions of up to 7.5 per cent to all equivalent public education positions including TAFE head teachers, institute managers, non teaching educational staff, Bradfield College and National Arts School and others. It may be necessary for these to be resolved by arbitration in the Industrial Relations Commission.
In respect to incomplete salaries outcomes, Federation's August Council decided that: "Federation meetings are to be held in all worksites with members affected for the purpose of carrying a recommendation to be communicated to the Minister and the Director General. Council also endorses the holding of stopwork meetings in such worksites."
Stopwork action has now commenced.
OH&S risk assessments
Members are reminded that they should not complete risk assessments unless they possess the necessary skills and expertise, and have been provided with sufficient training, time and other resources relating to risk assessments, as referred to in the Occupational Health and Safety Act and Regulation.
As usual, members should report in writing, all known physical and psychological hazards in the workplace to their immediate manager. In cases where DET's response to notified OH&S hazards is inadequate, your Federation TAFE Organiser should be contacted immediately.
DET's Code of Conduct
Federation members should ignore DET's Code of Conduct 2004, as it has not been agreed to by Federation, but continue to behave in their usual professional manner.
Audits in TAFE
Federation has received interim advice from DET which confirms inter alia the voluntary nature of involvement in the audits.
Until Federation receives and accepts clarification as to how TAFE audits are to be rationalised and workload issues addressed, it is strongly recommended that no member participate in TAFE audits.
Part Time Casuals
The TAFE Part Time Casual (PTC) pro rata award variation case concluded in the Industrial Relations Commission on August 13. Federation waits hopefully for a successful outcome, but has already received reports of PTC hours being reduced, allegedly in preparation to avoid PTCs accessing pro rata conditions. Any PTC member who believes they are suffering cuts to their hours, which are inexplicable other than for this reason, should seek written confirmation of the reason for their hours being cut, keep records for the possible use by Federation and if necessary contact their Organiser.
Federation is receiving numerous complaints from PTCs regarding TAFE giving them inaccurate information about their long service leave (LSL) entitlements. All PTCs should carefully read the Supplement to the TAFE Commission Gazette No. 43 of December 11, 2002 on LSL and seek advice from Federation as necessary for interpretation. Under the LSL Act, the employer is required to keep employee service records, but these can be supplemented by statutory declarations by PTCs, as provided for in the award. It is unacceptable for PTCs to have to wait longer than two weeks for TAFE to provide a copy of their statement of service.
Phil Bradley is the Assistant General Secretary (Post School Education).
For further information
September 2004 contents
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