Aug 2000 Volume 81 Number 9 "serving the protectors"
By Mark Carroll PASA Assistant Secretary

Enterprise Bargaining Workplace Visits

Police Association officials will visit workplaces in September as part of the PASA’s consultative process with its members in relation to the forthcoming enterprise bargaining negotiations.

The following itinerary will apply:

• South Coast 11am, Sturt 2:30pm 5.9.00
• Holden Hill 11am, Elizabeth 2:30pm 6.9.00
• Port Lincoln 3pm 7.9.00
• Adelaide 11am, Thebarton Barracks 2:30pm 8.9.00
• Mt Barker 11am, Murray Bridge 2:30pm 11.9.00
• Port Adelaide 11am, Parks 2:30pm 13.9.00
• Central Head Quarters, Flinders Street 2:30pm 15.9.00
• Nuriootpa 10am, Kadina 3pm 18.9.00
• Whyalla 1pm 19.9.00
• Mt Gambier 1pm 20.9.00
• Berri 1pm 21.9.00
• Ceduna 3pm 22.9.00
• Port Pirie 1pm 26.9.00
• Coober Pedy 3pm 27.9.00
• Port Augusta 1pm 29.9.00

Association officials will discuss the enterprise bargaining process, the formulation of the claim, and feedback from members regarding the claim.

Those members able to attend are encouraged to do so.

Tenure

The Police Association has received enquiries from members regarding SAPOL’s tenure policy, with particular regard to minimum tenure. The issue of tenure is legislatively-based and members should be conversant with regulation 34 of the Police Regulations 1999 and SAPOL policy published in the SA Police Gazette on August 11, 1999, at pages 187-189.

In particular, the policy states that minimum tenure may be reduced at the direction of the Commissioner on recommendation of the Manager, Personnel Section on either compassionate or welfare grounds, organizational requirements or promotion to a higher rank.

The difficulties being experienced by some members relate to enforcement of minimum tenure thereby excluding them from selection to other positions of similar rank. For example, some members recently selected for the senior constable general duty positions have been informed they will not be considered for vacancies of the same rank in the Dog Operations Unit.

The Association recognizes the effect of regulation 34 and SAPOL’s tenure policy. It is understood that an organization has an expectation that a successful candidate to any position should serve a minimum time in that position for both his or her benefit and the organization’s.

However, the exception provisions of both regulations and policy does not consider the highly competitive nature of certain select positions within SAPOL or the infrequent occurrence of vacancies at some sections of the force. Consequently, members are faced with a difficult choice as to whether they accept a generalist promotional position or gamble on being selected for perhaps a preferred specialist position that they may have been preparing for over a number of years or, indeed, wait a number of years for a vacancy to occur. Timing can be everything.

The association has met with SAPOL representatives and suggested that the tenure policy should take into account and include provisions for:

• Procedures to be followed for members to seek exemption from minimum tenure prior to a selection process being conducted.
• Expansion and explanation of the exception to minimum tenure with regard to organizational requirements and a process of assessment regarding same.
• The identification of specific positions in SAPOL, which may be regarded as an exception to minimum tenure due to infrequent vacancies or other criteria as determined.

PASAweb   Index & Search   Top of Page   Comments   Email to Editor

The Police Journal Online is an official publication of the Police Association of South Australia and is published monthly. Editors of kindred publications can seek permission from the Editor to re-publish any Police Journal Online article. Copyright 2000  The Police Association of South Australia sustance