On Wednesday 12 December 2007, Public Service Association (PSA) Industrial Officers Ian Peak and Josie Barbaro attended a meeting of the Shared Services SA (SSSA) Workforce Consultative Group (WCG).

These meetings are in addition to regular meetings scheduled with SSSA and the Department of Treasury and Finance (DTF) which provide a regular forum to raise PSA issues in detail on behalf of members. The PSA will be holding a further meeting on Friday 14 December 2007 to continue to negotiate outstanding issues raised by members. These fundamental issues have been raised in correspondence to Minister Wright and DTF in relation to the implementation of Shared Services.

SSSA representatives provided the WCG with the following update;

• Accommodation - Fit out is progressing in the Westpac House site and Wakefield House is the likely second site subject to Government approval.

• Human Resources Principles – The PSA is still waiting on the Human Resources Principles and Consultation and Engagement Strategy. PSA has provided extensive feedback on these draft documents.

• Terms and Conditions – Shared Services SA is developing a paper on terms and conditions for the new organisation which it says will be the subject of consultation with the PSA. The PSA has concerns the contents of this document are unknown, and has consistently argued that no employee should be disadvantaged as a result of the transition to Shared Services SA.

• Induction – Shared Services SA have engaged Locher Human Resources to develop the Shared Services SA induction program. The PSA has requested further information on the content of the program, and expects to be involved in agency inductions.

• Discovery Process – Most agencies have finished the latest discovery process which will determine which positions have been targeted for transition. The PSA has requested a report on the discovery process, including details of which positions have been identified as “in scope”. The PSA understands meetings of agency staff in Group 1 have begun to inform staff their position is “in scope”. This is despite an agreement with PSA that communication protocols would be discussed in relation to “in scope” positions which the PSA will be raising at the next meeting with DTF.

  Clearly, critical issues have not been addressed, and the PSA will raise these at the meeting with DTF and SSSA later this week. PSA members are continuing to meet to discuss possible actions if satisfactory responses are not provided. If you have any queries, please contact PSA Industrial Officer Josie Barbaro on jxb@cpsu.asn.au or 8205 3295.

PSA/CPSU WORKING FOR MEMBERS

13 December 2007