News

SITREP No. 15/2009

October 10, 2009

Inside this issue:

• New Website
• On-call Permanents – not on
• SAP and the annualised salary
• Retained engine keepers here to stay

New website launched this weekend

The site has some new functions including an RSS feed, which will email members as and when the site is updated, and a direct link to the Union’s twitter page. The website will also be updated over the coming weeks to include archived notices and industrial advice. Feedback on the new site is welcomed through the forum. Also this week I will be commencing my fortnightly report on the forum, SIZEUP. This will be an opportunity for me to comment on forum debates and report on the day-to-day work of the Union.

On-call Permanents – not on

The Union has been advised that permanent members filling in for retained shortages are being instructed to carry pagers and respond to calls after hours. The Union has not agreed to this practice for ‘staffing’ retained stations and it is not in accordance with the Award or In Order 2008/22. Those members involved have been instructed not to carry pagers when rostered off duty and anyone else asked to do so should contact the Union office immediately.

SAP and the annualised salary

The Union has received a number of inquiries about the annual salary shown at the top of their payslip, especially why it fluctuates wildly from pay to pay.

Basically this amount represents your annual salary calculated by taking that fortnight’s pay and multiplying it by 26. So if you are paid overtime in that pay period it will assume you will work that same overtime each pay period and therefore give you an inflated annual salary, and so on.

Given its inaccuracy it should not be relied upon, rather members requiring an average annual salary should refer to last year’s group certificate or the award. The Union has raised this with the Department and work is currently underway to produce a more accurate and useful payslip.

Retained engine keepers here to stay

Some local managers have refused to fill engine keeper positions because they consider them obsolete following the implementation of SIMS. This is not the case, SIMS is only an equipment checking tool and does not replace the role of the engine keeper. This role should be filled, either by a single person or shared equitably amongst members at the station. Members are also reminded that all stowed appliances are allocated 1.5 hours per week in authorised duties (above the stations normal authorised duties).

Jim Casey
State Secretary
9 October 2009