The day is therefore a reminder that Correctional Officers and supporting staff are employed in one of the most difficult and dangerous workplaces in the community.

Every Correctional Officer should be able to go to work each day and know that they will return to their families and loved ones safely.

Sadly, in this line of work, that鈥檚 never a guarantee.

No other workplace requires the riot squad to be on stand-by when a smoking ban is introduced.

No other workplace requires such stringent safety procedures.

Many of the inmates that Correctional Officers and staff supervise have nothing left to lose and all too often officers are required to deal with unpredictable and dangerous situations.

This underscores the importance of proper staff to inmate ratios and the need for improved workers compensation provisions to protect these officers and their families.

The world that exists behind the walls of Correctional facilities might seem intriguing to some members of the community.

The fact is these officers place their lives on the line every day in service to the public.

Stewart Little
色狼社区General Secretary

The post Corrective Services Remembrance Day appeared first on 色狼社区CPSU NSW.

The 色狼社区this week secured a 2.5 per cent pay rise for all employees covered by the Crown Employees (Public Sector Salaries) Award and the Local Land Services Award.

The one-year increase, taking effect from 1 July 2017, came after 95 per cent of the more than 4000 色狼社区members who voted agreed to accept the 2.5 per cent agreement with the NSW Government.

The 色狼社区went to the Industrial Relations Commission and finalised this pay rise for members across the public service. The rise comes with no trade off of conditions.

The 2.5 per cent pay rise is the maximum available under the Government鈥檚 wages policy, and sits above the 1.9 per cent wage price index. However, there have been a number of years when this cap has provided less than inflation wage rises.

The new 色狼社区leadership is determined to provide members with greater certainty into the future and will push to have the productivity gains made by workers recognised in future pay rises, as well as longer term pay rises.

The 色狼社区is attempting to update standalone awards for ADHC workers facing privatisation to enable their new privatised employers to recognise the current pay and conditions in new National System employment arrangements.

Last week, awards were made in similar terms for SASS Trustee, ICAC, IPART, Landcom and Audit Office.

While the pay rises will start in July, some agencies may require one or two pay periods to finalise increases and back pay.

These pay rises are won through the efforts of 色狼社区members paying their membership dues and campaigning together. Stronger outcomes can be won with more members building a stronger union, so encourage your colleagues to join the PSA.

With this pay rise secured, the 色狼社区will focus on filling vacant positions, improving access to flexible work conditions, improving job security, controlling workload and combatting privatisation.

Yours sincerely,

Stewart Little
General Secretary

The post 色狼社区members win 2.5 per cent pay rise appeared first on 色狼社区CPSU NSW.

The 色狼社区is today celebrating its win in the fight to keep the NSW prison system in public hands.

Today鈥檚 announcement that the John Morony Correctional Centre at Windsor will remain a state run facility is a clear victory for common sense and recognition of the work and capacity of Correctional Officers said the union.

鈥淭hat a Government hell bent on privatising everything has decided not to sell off the John Morony prison is an enormous win for public safety in NSW,鈥� said 色狼社区General Secretary, Stewart Little.

The 色狼社区has argued that privatisation means a lack of transparency and creates breeding grounds for radicalisation and fight clubs.

鈥淭he NSW public prison system boasts the best officers in the world who, to their enormous credit, successfully manage a grossly overcrowded system, which houses 13,000 inmates in a situation designed to accommodate 10,000.

鈥淚n New Zealand, privately run prisons were a debacle with inmates setting up fight clubs and posting videos on social media and the Government terminated the operator鈥檚 contract.鈥�

A 2016 Auditor General鈥檚 Report on Cost of Government found publicly run NSW prisons were among the cheapest in Australia to run negating any cost benefit from privatisation.

鈥淭he 色狼社区has lobbied the Government intensively and will be working with all parties to ensure the best possible outcome for public safety and the well being of Correctional Officers.鈥�

The post Public prison announcement a win for public safety appeared first on 色狼社区CPSU NSW.

The Public Service Association (PSA) has attacked the NSW Government for scrapping public disability services, throwing the care of people with disability into free fall.

The union鈥檚 long held position was today backed by concerns of the NSW Mental Health Commission that there will only be funding for approximately a quarter of existing mental health services under the NDIS.

This follows last week鈥檚 revelation by the Federal Health Department that the number of people with mental health issues expected to access the NDIS had been underestimated by 30,000 鈥� leading to a cost blow out of $1 billion.

鈥淭his is the disaster this union has been warning about for some time but despite the mounting evidence, the NSW Government is pushing on regardless,鈥� said 色狼社区General Secretary, Stewart Little.

鈥淣SW Minister for Disability Services, Ray Williams is about to preside over the greatest social tragedy NSW has ever seen.鈥�

The fate of tens of thousands of people with disabilities 鈥� the most vulnerable in our community 鈥� is being handed to non-Government operators who will be focused on profits.

鈥淭here is not going to be the money nor the capacity to properly service people with disability under the NDIS,鈥� said Mr Little.

鈥淏y June 2018, the NSW Government will have completely stepped out of the disability space leaving NSW as the only state in Australia with no Government safety net.鈥�

鈥淭ens of thousands stand to fall through the cracks, destined to land heavily in the state鈥檚 hospitals and even the criminal justice system – areas lacking expertise in specialist disability care.鈥�

The post Experts back union concerns over NSW Government wiping its hands of disability services appeared first on 色狼社区CPSU NSW.

The Public Service Association has attacked the NSW Government for scrapping public disability services on the same day a billion dollar NDIS cost blow out has been revealed.

鈥淭his is the worst possible time for the NSW Government to be washing its hands of public disability services,鈥� said 色狼社区General Secretary, Stewart Little.

鈥淚t鈥檚 the disaster this union has been warning about for some time.

鈥淣SW Minister for Disability Services, Ray Williams is about to preside over the greatest social tragedy NSW has ever seen. That鈥檚 quite a legacy.鈥�

The fate of tens of thousands of people with disabilities 鈥� the most vulnerable in our community 鈥� is now being handed to non-Government operators who will be focused on profits.

It comes as a new report from the Federal Health Department reveals it under estimated by聽 30,000 the number of people expected to access the NDIS 鈥� leading to a cost blow out of $1 billion.

鈥淭here is not going to be the money nor the capacity to properly service people with disability under the NDIS and by June 2018, the NSW Government will have completely stepped out of that space,鈥� Mr Little said.

鈥淣SW will be the only state in Australia with no Government safety net, throwing the care of people with disability into free fall.

鈥淭ens of thousands stand to fall through the cracks destined to land in the state鈥檚 hospitals, mental health facilities and even the criminal justice system –聽 areas lacking expertise in specialist disability care.鈥�

The post 色狼社区slams heartless NSW Government for wiping its hands of disability services appeared first on 色狼社区CPSU NSW.

The Turnbull Government鈥檚 changes to 457 Visas must stop the NSW Government contracting out vital public services then replacing full time local jobs with 鈥渢emporary鈥� overseas workers said the Public Service Association (PSA).

The union which called for an inquiry into the matter back in November 2016 said the NSW Government used 457 鈥榯emporary鈥� visas to fill 32 full time 鈥渙nshore鈥� jobs following the outsourcing of ServiceFirst which handled IT, HR and payroll functions for Government.

The 色狼社区fears the changes announced by the Turnbull Government will simply rebadge the scheme and continue its downward spiral in employment terms that will impact on the soon to be privatised disability sector and other outsourced areas in NSW.

鈥淪killed experienced local workers in full time employment are being thrown on the jobs scrapheap by the NSW Government through its mass privatisation program and replaced by foreign workers on 鈥榯emporary鈥� visas,鈥� said 色狼社区General Secretary, Stewart Little.

鈥淚s the revamped system going to stop the NSW Government from bringing in more workers on low pay as it did following the privatisation of ServiceFirst?鈥�

鈥淚s the revamped system going to stop the NSW Government from bringing in disability workers on inferior conditions after the privatisation of the public disability sector?鈥�

The post 457 visa changes must stop job rorts after privatisation – union appeared first on 色狼社区CPSU NSW.

The NSW Government decision to lease the 150 year old Land Titles Registry to Hastings Funds Management and First State Super is a recipe for disaster for millions of property owners across NSW said the Public Service Association (PSA).

鈥淚t is hands down, the most appalling fire sale decision yet by a Government with a strong track record in that area鈥�, said 色狼社区General Secretary, Stewart Little.

鈥淭he Government trumpets its efforts on 鈥榣ife-changing projects鈥� but what could be more life changing for millions of people across NSW than to lose the security on their own property?

鈥淛ust as the 色狼社区feared all along, ultimately the personal property records of the people in NSW will be held offshore given a portion of the successful consortium is based in London.鈥�

Currently, the Government provides insurance and security of property titles. But now the Registry has been sold to a private operator, individual land owners may be forced to take out insurance to guard against unscrupulous property developers or fraud.

鈥淭hese super companies will be out to turn a profit for their members,鈥� Mr Little said.

鈥淚n recent times, Registry costs to the consumer have increased by 300%, just to fatten the company for sale and it will only get worse.

鈥淗ow on earth can the Premier call this a win win situation?

鈥淪elling a critical Government function that has such an enormous bearing on the economy and the lives of every land and property owner in NSW is nothing short of ideology gone mad.

鈥淎cademics, former senior staff, community groups, major newspapers, property developers and even prominent members of the Liberal Party have all joined the 色狼社区in condemning the idea.鈥�

The post Land Titles Registry sale a disaster for millions in NSW appeared first on 色狼社区CPSU NSW.

The NSW Government has slashed 300 public sector jobs on the Central Coast, with the privatisation of Disability Services and Out Of Home Care now also eating away at the community said the Public Service Association (PSA).

鈥淭his is a Government that just builds roads, not communities or a society,鈥� said 色狼社区General Secretary, Stewart Little.

鈥淭he Central Coast is out of sight and out of mind as far as this Government is concerned with the highest rate of vulnerable children in Out Of Home Care of all FACS districts in the state.鈥�

鈥淭he Government鈥檚 ongoing privatisation agenda is setting up the Central Coast to fail spectacularly.鈥�

鈥淚f the Government really wants to make a difference to the lives of the people of NSW, it should urgently rethink the catastrophic plan to privatise the Land Titles Registry, a move condemned by everyone from academics to property developers and pull back from the forced transfer of state disability services.鈥�

鈥淭he Government trumpets its efforts on 鈥榣ife-changing projects鈥� but what could be more life changing for millions of people across NSW than to lose the security on their property?

鈥淲hat could be more life changing for tens of thousands of families than to have the care of loved ones with disability thrown into free fall after the Government completely steps away from that space?鈥�

鈥淣SW will be the only state in Australia with no Government safety net for people with disability.鈥�

鈥淥n the Central Coast alone, that will impact on 2,735 clients.鈥�

鈥淭his is a Government that washes its hands of all social responsibility whether it鈥檚 starving the world class TAFE system of funds while throwing millions at dodgy private providers or pushing vulnerable kids into a non-Government Out of Home Care system and then reading the horror stories in the media.鈥�

The NSW Government employs almost 10% of all workers in the Central Coast and is by far the largest employer in the region.

The post Central Coast deserves better than 300 job cuts and slashed vital services says union appeared first on 色狼社区CPSU NSW.

The post Land and Property anti-privatisation rally appeared first on 色狼社区CPSU NSW.

Join the rally on Tuesday, 28 March at 12 noon for a free BBQ outside the LPI building, opposite Queen鈥檚 Square in Sydney then at the top end of Martin Palace at 1 pm.

The post Keep the Land Titles Registry in public hands appeared first on 色狼社区CPSU NSW.