ɫ������

Crown Solicitor’s Office – Open plan update

  19 September 2017

Consultation matters!

CSO management is obliged by legislation and policy to consult with the ɫ������on matters of workplace change, and your union will take action to ensure that this happens.

ɫ������meeting with CSO management – 13 September 2017

Your ɫ������representatives and delegates met with CSO management and requested the halting of any progress on the open-plan office proposal, pending the commencement of consultation with the PSA.

CSO management agreed to enter formal consultation with the PSA, including genuinely considering membership’s concerns and feedback. CSO management has since provided the ɫ������with:

• CSO’s response to PSA’s letter dated 31 August
• Draft Change Management Plan
• Draft Workplace Change Management Strategy
• Concept fit-out plans
• NSW Government’s fit-out design principles – which management claims enforce an open-plan set-up for new workplace accommodation changes
• Communication plan.

The ɫ������has further requested a Risk Assessment Plan. The official Change Management Plan will be circulated across to the entire membership for comment once provided to the PSA.

Management claimed “Government policy mandates the introduction of open-plan offices”; see copy of Property NSW ‘s July 2017 NSW Government Fitout Design Principles (Office Workplace Accommodation) that CSO cited as the relevant policy, but which the ɫ������notes does not stipulate a compulsory mandate.

CSO management agreed to halting any further progress on the open-plan proposal in the interim other than the following:

• completion of the Readiness Survey and Meeting Room Survey
• continuation of the Records Management File Storage Project
• work regarding the relocation of
  Level 5 staff to Bligh Street
• tendering for architects to prepare final floor plans after the consultation (the tender process being indicated to take about a month to complete)
• obtaining of feedback from staff on concept plans.

The ɫ������has requested a second consultation meeting with CSO management for the week starting 25 September 2017.

 We want your feedback!

Send your feedback, ideas and concerns to your ɫ������delegates by COB Thursday, 21 September. In particular comments around:

• Active file use and storage
• Noise and focus
• Privacy and confidentiality
• Collaboration
• Telephone use
• Supervision and meetings.

All concerns will be collated into one document, to draw from when we consult with management. A big thank you to all members who have already provided such feedback.

Call out for delegates and health and safety representatives

In order to build strength on the ground and wield more negotiating influence with management, we need more active members at the CSO.

If you would like to improve your rights at work and assist your fellow colleagues nominate yourself to become a delegate or Health and Safety Representative! Get in touch with your delegates or contact your ɫ������organiser.

 Your ɫ������delegates are:

Leigh Plater (x 85377), Senior Solicitor,

Teri Southwell (x 85410), Legal & Financial System Administration Officer,

Your ɫ������staff are:

Organiser, Surabi Alauddin

Industrial officer, Andrew Boulton

Encourage your colleagues to join the ɫ������online at , or see your delegates for membership forms.

Stronger, Together – A unionised workplace is a fairer one!