During recent negotiations for a number of station redevelopments, management asserted that allowances would only be paid once during a 24hr period. This is not correct, and the Department has subsequently reverted to the agreed position that redevelopment works will be assessed and allowances paid according to the default roster. This may not always mean that the same level of allowance will be paid for each shift, as the loss of amenity may differ, but it does mean that inspections should consider each shift separately.
For example, if the station’s default roster is the 10/14 roster, then the degree of disturbance or reduction in access to and/or standard of amenities needs to be assessed for both the day and the night shift. If there will be a significant reduction during both shifts and the members are required to remain on site then a Significant allowance ($25.22) will paid for both the day and the night shift, with members working a 24hr shift receiving two allowances. If however there will be a moderate reduction during the day shift and a low during the night, then a Moderate allowance ($16.81) will be paid for the day shift and a Low allowance ($8.41) for the night shift, with members working a 24hr shift receiving both a Moderate and Low allowance.
Prior to any work commencing it is important that a Pre-work inspection is undertaken as per the Station Redevelopment Standing Order so that the impact of the work and the payment of allowances is resolved and documented. Members notified of planned redevelopment work should contact their State Committee Official for further advice.
Mental Health Month
October is Mental Health Month. This year the theme is ‘Learn and Grow’, which aims to increase awareness of what mental illness looks like and what can be done to treat it. It also highlights the need to understand the importance of mental health in our everyday lives and to seek help when needed. Resources are available from the Mental Health Association at www.wayahead.org.au.
LF Test FAQs updated
As soon as members began sitting the operational component of the LF Test it became clear that the Department had failed to get it right, with the most concerning issue being that members had answered questions correctly, but had been marked wrong. Whilst not of our making, the Union has spent the last few weeks working through these problems with management to resolve them as quickly and fairly as possible and to ensure (as best as we can) that the Department does not repeat them.
The Department has now reviewed those questions raised by members, corrected the question bank and adjusted test results accordingly. Members should have also been advised by email of adjusted results and invited to reply to that email to seek further feedback from the Department on why their result was adjusted. The LF Test FAQs have also been amended and are now published on the Union’s website and can be accessed by clicking here. Members are encouraged to read these in full and to contact the Union if they have further questions.
Leighton Drury
State Secretary
For a printable copy of this SITREP, please click here.
