Office of Environment and Heritage Update on dispute
19 March 2017
Office of Environment and Heritage update on dispute – March 2017 (PDF version)
The 色狼社区appeared in the Industrial Relations Commission (IRC) of NSW on Thursday, 9 March 2017 in relation to the introduction of a new classification, Principal Project Officer (PPO) which we believe was to replace the two Area Managers that were located at Narooma. The 色狼社区provided information resulting from the loss of the Area Managers and the knock-on effects to other staff and National Parks in the regions.
The 色狼社区argued this new PPO role was not in the Award and therefore the Department was attempting to circumvent the Award by the introduction of a new classification.
OEH produced a PPO role description that had not been cited by the 色狼社区prior to Thursday proceedings. OEH advised the Commissioner the PPO role was not a Ranger role as it did not have Ranger functions. OEH also advised the IRC the PPO role which is renumerated as a Clerk Grade 11/12 currently existed in NSW National Parks and went on to produce around 40 examples which 色狼社区believe are non-operational.
Due to the 色狼社区not citing the PPO role description prior to Thursday鈥檚 proceedings, Commissioner Tabbaa adjourned the matter to give the parties the opportunity to discuss the PPO role and other issues that have been raised in court proceeding.
OEH were advised of the knock-on effect, the stress and workload issues this was having on the region with the loss of two Area Managers and not back-filling Ranger roles.
During conciliation and placed on record, it was agreed that National Parks will backfill vacant roles in the North and Central Southern Regions and also agreed that the PPO role was not a supervisory role, it is a support role for the two regions, which OEH agreed to.
The matter has been left open for four weeks to be relisted if need be.
Recent media
In response to our continued campaign to protect the conditions of NPWS Rangers, the 色狼社区has been successful in gaining media around the offer the 色狼社区put to OEH, and the subsequent refusal from OEH to engage with the 色狼社区regarding it. You can view the article, which was printed in The Land
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Actively engage in building the PSA鈥檚 power and strength in your workplace by encouraging your colleagues to join the 色狼社区鈥 they can do so online at . The more members we have, the stronger we are to advocate and fight for strong working conditions, better pay increases and protecting your jobs to ensure we continue to provide quality public services for NSW.