PSA Petition to DPC Secretary Tim Reardon

* 2. Dear Secretary Tim Reardon,

Re:      Flexible Working Hours Agreement Negotiations

The Public Service of Association NSW (PSA) writes regarding the current flexible working hours agreement negotiations with the Department of Premier and Cabinet (DPC) and it is our position that these negotiations will have a direct impact on the future of flexible work in the NSW Public Sector.

We believe that these negotiations have not resolved key issues for employees, nor do we consider that the DPC have met good faith bargaining principles and we say our reasonable requests are being ignored.

In brief:

1) We request protections are in place so we are not pressured to work extreme hours without appropriate recompense (e.g. overtime).
 
2) We request banked flex, or a form of banked flex, is kept in the agreement.

3) We request that DPC representatives negotiate in good faith without the threat of imminent transition to the limited flex arrangements under the Crown Employees (Public Service Conditions of Employment) Reviewed Award 2009 (Award).

4) We request that DPC extend the negotiations so we do not have to go back to a basic flex agreement (as defined in section 21 of the Award).

The PSA has made every effort to facilitate DPC’s log of claims and ensuring that flexible work across the sector is managed fairly and overtime compensated appropriately.

This flexible working hours agreement will apply to the Department of Premier and Cabinet, the Public Service Commission, Employee Relations, Western Parkland City Authority, and the Parliamentary Council’s Office and that these changes will result in significant impact to employees.

Further, it is the position the Association that other departments in the NSW Public service will look to this agreement for future negotiations and these negotiations cannot be seen as a benchmark to the lack of good faith bargaining principles.

We request that DPC agree to the PSA’s reasonable claims.

Yours faithfully,

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