Retainer rip-off: Union launches recovery campaign for affected members
Performance management in MW2
AMP triggers – update #1
SITREP 19/2014 reported on our concerns over the Department’s revised AMP triggers, and the Union has today written to the Department (click here for a copy) asserting our position that once cannot be a pattern, that a shift before or after a special event doesn’t count and that four or more absences during school holidays during a calendar year is a legitimate trigger, but anything less is not.
As always, members who receive an AMP “show cause” letter should contact the Union office for assistance and advice before replying.
Retainer rip-off: Union launches recovery campaign for affected members
During the course of the recent Retained Award negotiations the Union uncovered numerous cases of the Department having failed to promote members from one Retainer level to the next. Where the Union has known about these breaches, we’ve been able to recover an average of $1500 in backpay for each of the affected members. On further investigation it appears that potentially hundreds of retained firefighters have been shortchanged.
While the new Award has done away with the C and B level Retainers, previous Awards remain enforceable. Put simply, any firefighter who was not automatically progressed from the Level C to the Level B Retainer after 12 months, and to the Level A Retainer after 24 months in the job is owed backpay. And any Captain or Deputy Captain who was not automatically progressed from the Level B to the Level A Retainer after 12 months has been similarly shortchanged. This will mean up to $30 for each fortnight, and more than $1,500 in total, for affected members. It could also mean a backpay bill for the Department of well in excess of $1 million.
Members who suspect they might be eligible for Retainer progression backpay should contact the Union office – by telephone, fax or email – for further advice and assistance.
Performance management in MW2
The Department has commenced rolling out a “professional development program to enhance FRNSW employees’ communication skills”, starting this week with selected stations in MW2. The Union has been assured that this is a precursor to a performance management system (a requirement of all NSW public sector agencies under the Baird Government’s Government Sector Employment Act) rather than the system itself, so we will wait and see what participating members make of it before deciding what (if any) Union intervention is required at this stage. The Department has also assured the Union of full and proper consultation on the details of any FRNSW performance management system well before its proposed introduction, and updates will appear in future SITREPs as and when this information becomes available.
Jim Casey
State Secretary
For a printable version of this SITREP, please click here
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