Service NSW restructure again…to “market”…dole queue placements

Back in 2022, the NSW Government implemented its ‘Service NSW (Salaries and Conditions) Employees Award 2022’, with pay rises and lots of lurks and perks.

This included the following:

• Travel allowances on journeys to interstate capital cities and high cost country centres  (fuel/airfares, accommodation, 3 square meals plus supper, and incidental expenses, overtime meal allowances
• Remote areas allowances
• Dependants’ allowances
• Community language allowance scheme
• First aid allowance
• On-call (stand-by) and on-call allowance
• This is on top of the 11.5% employer-paid superannuation
• Fortnightly ADOs
• 10-day annual cumulative sick leave
• Full pay for each 12 public holidays per year
• 4 weeks annual leave
• Long service leave
• etc.

Then in 2023, everyone there got a 4% pay rise under Award Variation Schedule ‘A’ Service NSW Salaries from 20th July 2023.   That included staff from Grades 1 to 12, so Grade 12’ers reap $182,270 p.a, not including the above lurks and perks.

Compare this NSW governmental elitist wicket to the typical NSW ‘mum and dad’ micro businesses that, by Service NSW Micro Business Grant definition, earn under $75,000 p.a., so don’t qualify for the minimum threshold to be mandated to collect and administer the federal government’s Tax Office’s GST, as ATO slave labour:

[Source: Service NSW Annual Report 2021–22, p 37]

 

So why is the above “claims paid” statistic nearly 900% more than the 63,009 on the Service NSW public website?  Same total funding value of $781.1 million, but vastly disparate number of claims.

Then in October 2024, NSW public servants, including nearly 5000 Service NSW staff  scammed another series of pay increases from Minns Labor over the next three years.

The offer equates to a compounded increase of 11.4 per cent over the three years to 2026-27:

• 4% 2024-2025 increase in salaries, plus 0.5% super to 12%
• 3% 2025-2026 increase in salaries, plus 0.5% super to 12.5%
• 3% 2026-2027 increase in salaries

 

And this offer is retrospective back to the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2024.

The argument this hike round is as some safeguard mechanism to compensate for the Federal Prime Minister Albanese Labor Government’s cost-of-living crisis driven by excessive spending and record mass immigration demand for housing, jobs, health and everything –  1.15 million immigrants under PM Albanese’s first term – flocking to mainly Sydney and Melbourne.

Federal public servants get a whopping 15.4% government employer paid super.

 

[AUTHOR’S NOTE:  So annual pay rises are one thing.  But wait there’s more to compensate for the cost blowout…mass sackings!  Surely you saw it coming…PSA PR-wise, after Christmas 2024.]

Service NSW ‘restructure’ updates again:

 

But sleep with the Devil? …

 

1 August 2024:

QUOTE:

‘Public Service Association of NSW staff and PSA union delegate Trina Leask met again with management as part of the weekly restructure meetings.  Forty (40) to fifty (50) individual meetings have already occurred with Human Resources/People & Culture (HR/P&C) representatives.

There will be ‘one-on-ones’ for people on leave to ensure they are provided the information on what to do, particularly in terms of joining the process late when returning from leave or choosing to engage while still on leave.  For people still on leave or not impacted until Waves 2 or 3, it was confirmed that mobility will be open to them in those waves.

Staggering entry into the mobility process allows for other roles outside Service NSW to come through and be available for those going through the placement process.

PSA reminds members that roles outside Service NSW can have different salaries. For instance, a 6/7 role in Service NSW may match with a 5/6 role in the Department of Customer Service (DCS), but only up to 7 (year 2).  If you are at a 7 (year 3) grading, the salary will not be the same.  Salary maintenance is confirmed for 3 months only for roles in DCS and not available for roles in other government agencies.

Calculations for a Voluntary Redundancy are available in the Sharepoint hub and also in the Managing Excess Employees Policy.

Feedback was provided around concerns over access to Team Leaders. We were advised that the ratios are within range however Service Delivery help will be rolled out across the entire service deliver which should take the strain.  They also intend to mature operational support so they can take work from Team Leaders as well.

While they feel it is unlikely that a whole cluster would be devoid of Team Leaders, Service NSW says it will run a risk assessment prior to completion to understand how the final structure will look and what impacts it may have.’

Our take:  NSW Premier restructuring round #lost count:

 

PSA Trigger Warning! 

QUOTE:

‘Several members raised concerns about bias.  It was reiterated that there will be independent people on the recruitment panels, including from HR/P&C and/or the Executive Director Service Delivery.

After concerns raised by PSA, Service NSW has amended its process and people will be directly assigned where possible, rather than have to go through an Expression of Interest (EOI).

The process will be halted prior to the Christmas break to ensure that no one will lose their job before Christmas.’

[AUTHOR’S NOTE:  DCM Alert!  Don’t Come Monday – 6th January 2025 – it’ll frog marching day characterised by cardboard boxes to clear out personal stuff on desks, PC-lockout, and ring-in security at all office access points.]

‘It is understood that the media articles are beyond the control of Service NSW, and they will not be commenting on them.   There is no intent to assign people to roles far away from where they live.  [Try Wilcannia?]   “Landing days”? and travel associated with them is still being looked at.

Tier 1 skilling – members have been concerned about work overload.  We were advised that there will be progressive training.  They are also willing to examine what is simple and what is complex in terms of tasks an broaden and strengthen knowledge.

Members raised specific concerns about assignment to role outside their region and we are advised that Service NSW has no intention of assigning to a role where you can’t do the hours or the travel.

There was general agreement that virtual hold does not reduce efficiency. Service sees it as a measure to deal with quality of customer service.

PSA has been provided with information in relation to reduction of Senior Executive Band (SEB) roles. We confirm that Service NSW has committed to a reduction of 16% of SEB roles by the end of financial year 24/25.

We also discussed feedback in relation to core profiles. It was acknowledged that iCare has a dedicated technology platform which adds a logistical challenge, and they are looking at what they can do about that.

It will take time to work through the level of complexity in the blending of skills in the contact centre team. Changes will be progressively rolled out over months.

Cyber have continued to hold drop-in sessions. They are noting an increase in questions around Wave 2, structure and architecture functions, Role Descriptions, Temporary Acting Arrangements (TAAs).  They are working to ensure consistency in Role Descriptions and will put further information around TAAs etc in the FAQs.

Procurement has had about a dozen pieces of feedback, and they are looking at clarifying what each team will do. Role Descriptions are also being realigned.

Service NSW is finalising the structure based on feedback. There will be a few extra roles going into the structure, but we don’t know yet whether they will be project or frontline based.’

28 October 2024:  Now overpaid Service NSW Public Servants face restructure sackings, so much for the pay rises:

PSA again:

‘NSW public sector workers face job cuts in a sweeping state restructure.   Hundreds of positions are being slashed or converted to temporary roles as part of “spill-and-fill” measures across state agencies.

Service NSW, established by the former O’Farrell LNP Coalition government as a central hub for public services, is among the hardest hit, with 360 jobs targeted for elimination and dozens more shifting to temporary status.

This process has occurred in three stages, driven by what the government calls “several years of significant short-term growth” during COVID-19.

Staffing at Service NSW surged from 2,860 in June 2019 to 4,950 in June 2024, but this expansion is now deemed “not sustainable”, according to a spokesperson for Customer Service Minister Jihad Dib.

Beyond Service NSW, job losses are widespread across the Department of Customer Service – Minns NSW Minister Dib’s portfolio, being #2 of his 4 assigned portfolios.

Cyber Security NSW faces eight redundancies, while state insurer iCare plans to cut 236 positions, representing a 7 per cent reduction in its workforce.

The government asserts that many roles marked for cuts are contractor positions, noting a 50 per cent reduction in contractor (debt collector) numbers within the Department of Customer Service.

Despite these changes, Dib’s office insists that Service NSW’s disaster response capabilities will remain intact, ensuring communities are supported during emergencies.

Just phone 000?

The Minns government, elected on a platform to reduce senior executives in the public sector by 15%, has not confined the cuts to senior roles. Project managers and frontline staff have also been affected, sparking criticism from Coalition customer service spokesman James Griffin, who called the reductions “tragic and shortsighted”.

He warned that critical public services and disaster relief functions are at risk, saying: “I’m regularly hearing serious concerns from digital industry stakeholders that a decade of innovation by the NSW government is disappearing by the month under the Minns government”.

While the government claims the restructuring is necessary for long-term sustainability, critics argue it could weaken public service delivery, particularly in regional areas. Consultation on the final structure is ongoing, with more announcements expected in the coming months.’

Your union and Delegate Trina Leask met with the Department on 14 November 2024 to continue discussions around the Service NSW restructure.

 

Mobility Wave 1:

 

Mobility continues for impacted staff.

All Service vacancies must be put into mobility and made available to impacted employees from across the sector who are in mobility.

 

In NSW, police can issue “a move-on order” if an officer believes on reasonable (political) grounds that someone is: obstructing traffic, blocking another person, harassing or intimidating another person or group, is taking up desk space by otherwise someone who doesn’t talk back and who is certainly under a Grade 3 position and not a liability.

Service (NSW) advises that the vacancies for “Wave 1 roles in mobility” have closed!

 

A reminder about Government Restructure ‘Waves’?

 

If appointments are not made, those roles will then go out to external recruitment (soup kitchens).

PSA reminds members that even though you may be in mobility, you can still apply for roles being advertised externally – Wilcannia beckons.  Be aware, however, that it is not in the scope of Mobility Advisors to support you with external recruitment opportunities (unemployment).

Mobility Wave 2:

PSA QUOTE:  “This is motoring along.  They are moving through the assessment of Expressions of Interest (EOIs) and matching preferences and are on track with timeframes identified in the restructure documentation.  There will be communications in coming days about when outcomes of the EOIs will be provided.”

 

Mobility Wave 3:

PSA QUOTE:

“All EOIs have closed and panels are now considering applications. People and Culture are continuing to build the page on Employee Resource Hub for staff to have a central point to go to for information.

As (move along) “mobility” continues to be an area of interest for members, PSA have requested further information be provided particularly given concerns around the Christmas shutdown.

Service (NSW) has advised mobility is pausing for the shutdown.  There will be no impact to any individual’s minimum eight-week matching process.  Those due to go into mobility in early January will get 10 weeks but if you prefer to only have eight weeks, tell your “Mobility Advisor.”

 

PSA will continue to meet weekly with management to raise your concerns.  Please advise your delegate Trina Leask in the first instance if there are matters relating to the restructure you would like addressed.

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References:

[1]  ‘Service NSW Restructure: Mobility, EOIs, Assignment to Role and changes to structure‘, 2024-08-07, Bulletins – Customer Service – Latest News – Service NSW, Public Service Association of NSW, ^https://psa.asn.au/service-nsw-restructure-mobility-eois-assignment-to-role-and-changes-to-structure/

[2]  ‘The votes are in: PSA members vote for no more delays to pay rise‘, October 15, 2024 Bulletins, Public Service Association of NSW, ^https://psa.asn.au/the-votes-are-in-psa-members-vote-for-no-more-delays-to-pay-rise/

[3]   ‘Service NSW faces cuts‘, 2024-10-28, Service NSW, ^https://state.governmentcareer.com.au/archived-news/service-nsw-faces-cuts

[4]  ‘Wilcannia Agency‘, Service NSW, ^https://www.service.nsw.gov.au/service-centre/wilcannia-agency

[5]   ‘Staggering number of migrants who have arrived in Australia since Anthony Albanese rose to power‘, 2024-08-14, by Antoinette Milienos, Daily Mail, ^https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13740703/Migrants-Australia-Anthony-Albanese.html

[6]  ‘Progress report: Service NSW restructure’, 2024-11-15,  Bulletins – Service NSW, ^https://psa.asn.au/progress-report-service-nsw-restructure/