ENTERPRISE BARGAINING 2009

DATE: TUESDAY 16 JUNE 2009
TIME: 12.15 P.M.
VENUE: JIM OTTE ROOM
2ND FLOOR, PSA BUILDING
122 PIRIE STREET, ADELAIDE
RSVP: professional@cpsu.asn.au

The current South Australian Government Wages Parity (Salaried) Enterprise Agreement 2006 (EA) expires on the 21 December, 2009. Formal negotiations for the new Agreement cannot begin until three months prior to that date, i.e. 21 September, 2009. To assist in developing a new Enterprise Bargaining claim the PSA consults widely.

Input from members is essential. The EA sits above the Award and the Department of Health HR manual and Enterprise Bargaining is the process by which increases in salaries and improvements in conditions are negotiated with the State Government.

A new classification structure and pay structure for professionals was developed in the current 2006 EA. This gave an average 5% per annum pay rise - further details are here.

The new structure and Work Level Definitions were designed to assist employees to be reclassified on the basis of being advanced Practitioners, Specialists and clinical expertise. This is to be separate from managerial responsibilities, for which a managerial allowance is now available for levels 3, 4 and 5.

Many members have achieved reclassification through management initiated or personal applications. For some disciplines P.I.D.'s were developed and employees reviewed. There have been difficulties, often due to misinterpretations by management and even Classification Appeal Tribunals. PSA assisted some members through to the Industrial Commission, with successful outcomes. This is an opportunity to revisit the Work Level Definitions and improve the definitions. PSA believes that there should be automatic progression through certain levels in many circumstances.

To be in the Professional Stream, an employee must be in an employment category for which a recognised university degree is a pre-requisite for employment i.e. an essential minimum requirement.

Schedule 3 of the Public Sector Salaried Employees Interim Award includes the following Professional groups currently employed in Health:

Audiologists Pharmacists, Art Educators, Biologists, Clinical Psychologists, Dietitians,  Epidemiologists, Forensic Scientists, Librarians, Microbiologists, Music Therapists, Nuclear Medicine Technologists, Occupational Therapists, Optometrists, Orthoptists, Perfusionists, 
Physical Educators, Physicists, Physiotherapists, Podiatrists/Chiropodists, Psychologists, Radiation Therapists, Radiographers, Social Workers, Speech Pathologists, Sports Scientists, Veterinary Officers,  Veterinary Pathologists, Veterinary Scientists.

PSA has been in discussions with the Government about other groups, for whom a degree is now available.

Though most of PSA's claims can be general and cover all occupational groups, there may be issues specific to disciplines or work places which can be incorporated within the new EA.

The PSA intends establishing working groups of members to assist in developing the claim.

The claim is the first step, then come the negotiations. It is essential to have expert advice to support the PSA claims, e.g. retention and recruitment.

A Health Professional Manager's Forum is being held at the PSA on Thursday 11 June at 4.00pm to assist in gathering this information.

Please RSVP to professional@cpsu.asn.au

For enquiries, please contact Professional Division Project Officer Sue Fraser (08)8205 3242 or sf@cpsu.asn.au or Senior Industrial Officer, Ian D Peak on email ian@cpsu.asn.au

PSA WORKING FOR PROFESSIONALS