The Community and Public Sector/Civil Service Association (CPSU/CSA) has launched an education campaign regarding new clauses available to Western Australian public sector workers following the registration of the Public Sector Civil Service Association Agreement 2024 (PSCSA Agreement) on 23 December 2024.
Following a delegates briefing yesterday, union delegates and organisers will begin hosting Paid Union Meetings online and in workplaces across the state to educate all WA public sector workers on their new entitlements, how to access them, and how union members can seek representation from their workplace delegates to ensure they are afforded them, the Association said today.
CPSU/CSA Branch Secretary, Melanie Bray (pictured) said all Western Australian public sector workers on the PSCSA Agreement were welcome to attend the information meetings and learn about the new clauses their union member colleagues have secured.
“Today is one of the most exciting in the union calendar, the opportunity for WA public sector workers to learn about the new or updated clauses in their agreement,” said Ms Bray.
“Last year, CPSU/CSA members across the WA public sector secured several life-changing inclusions into their agreement, and it’s vital that all workers attend these Paid Union Meetings to learn about these clauses, and how they can use them to empower themselves in their workplaces by using their hard fought and won rights and entitlements.”
The new and improved clauses include five days reproductive health leave and 10 days disability leave per calendar year, allowing those who are eligible to reserve their personal or annual leave allocations for illnesses and holidays as their colleagues do.
“They include access to conversion to permanency clauses after 12 months of service down from 24, giving workers more security in their employment, opening up the ability to qualify for a home loan and providing certainty in making major life decisions. They include an increase in the parental leave allocation, with a combined 27 weeks available across both caregivers, giving new parents time and comfort after a new birth or adoption,” Ms Bray said.
“What I think is the most significant is the raft of additional entitlements for regional WA public sector workers. They reflect a crucial step towards addressing attraction and retention issues in our important regional centres. Entitlements include a further 30 days of air-conditioning allowance, an additional 46 new isolated and remote locations qualifying workers for additional allowances and entitlements, an overnight travelling allowance for those who travel for work and access to paid personal leave when travelling for caring responsibilities.
“I encourage all Western Australian public sector workers to come along to these Paid Union Meetings to learn more about these important, union-won clauses that will make their work lives better and their family lives better,” she said.
