On 4 April 2000 the NSW Industrial Relations Commission varied a number of public sector Medical Officers' awards with the consent of the Australian Salaried Medical Officers Federation (New South Wales) and the Public Employment Office, as well as other employer parties. The variations provide for increases to remuneration in the following awards:

Crown Employees (Medical Specialists, Various Agencies) Award;
Crown Employees (Police Medical Officers - Clinical Forensic Medicine) (State) Award; and
Salaried Senior Medical Practitioners (State) Award.

Salaries and certain allowances under these awards, are to be increased by two per cent (2%) with effect from the beginning of the first pay period to commence on or after 1 January 2000, and by a further increase of two per cent (2%) with effect from the beginning of the first pay period to commence on or after the 1 January 2001.

The Australian Salaried Medical Officers Federation (New South Wales) entered into the Memorandum of Understanding with the Government on 28 March 2000 which reflects the Government's wages strategy (copy attached). Australian Salaried Medical Officers Federation (New South Wales) has given a commitment to progress priority issues for continued reform in the NSW public sector.

The variation to the Crown Employees (Medical Specialists, Various Agencies) Award is attached for implementation.

The Public Sector Management Office is able to assist you if you have any queries. Please contact your client contact officer.

C Gellatly
Director-General

Updated by C2001-66

________________________________________________________

CROWN EMPLOYEES (MEDICAL SPECIALISTS, VARIOUS AGENCIES) AWARD

Part A

Delete existing Clause 10, No Extra Claims, and insert:

Clause 10, No Extra Claims.

The Federation undertakes not to pursue any new salaries or conditions claims arising from negotiation of productivity and efficiency improvements covered by the Memorandum of Understanding between the NSW Government and the Federation dated 28 March 2000.

Part B - Monetary Rates

Table 1 - Salaries

Memorandum Of Understanding 

Between the NSW Government and Australian Salaried Medical Officers' Federation (New South Wales)

Contents

Section Page Number

Preamble 1
Objectives 1
The Parties 1
Outcome 1
Broad Timeframes 2
Wage Increase & Duration & Funding Strategies 2
Specific Roles & Responsibilities 2
Dispute Resolution 3
Monitoring & Review 3
Reporting 3
Signatures of the Parties 4

1. Preamble
This Memorandum of Understanding (agreement) is a commitment between the parties to progress priority issues for continued reform in the NSW public sector.

This agreement provides a cooperative and productive partnership to achieve a coordinated, whole-of-Government approach to improving service delivery to the people of NSW and enhancing the quality of life of employees. This includes taking a balanced approach to economic, social and environmental impacts of these initiatives.

The Agreement is premised on the basis that there will be no new salaries or condition claims arising from negotiation of productivity and efficiency improvements covered by this agreement. Relevant Awards and Enterprise Agreements will incorporate clauses to give effect to this commitment.

2. Objectives
The objectives of this agreement are:

To maintain harmonious industrial relations in the workplace;
To promote efficiency and productivity in the NSW public sector;
To promote active participation in workplace reform by agencies, NSW public sector unions and employees at both the sector-wide and agency level;
To facilitate appropriate regulation of employment conditions through awards enterprise arrangements and other industrial instruments;
To encourage agencies and NSW public sector unions to work together to provide services which meet the needs of the local community; and
To promote integrated services through sharing service arrangements, redesigning systems and utilising new technological opportunities.

3. The Parties
The parties to this agreement are the:

NSW Government;
Australian Salaried Medical Officers' Federation (NSW)

4. Outcome
The achievement of improved service delivery to the people of NSW and enhanced quality of work life of employees through cooperative workplace reform and equitable and productive workplace relations.

5. Broad Timeframes
This agreement recognises a long-term commitment to reform of the NSW public sector. In achieving this outcome, a range of key short and medium term milestones are to be developed between the parties by 31 March 2000.

6. Increases, Duration and Funding Strategies
This agreement will be funded from the budget and efficiencies achieved from the benefits of reform outlined in this document.

The parties agree to develop a method for quantification and verification of savings.

Date of Effect Percentage Increase
1 January 2000 2% 
1 January 2001 2% 
1 January 2002 3% 
1 January 2003 4%
1 July 2003 5% 

This agreement acknowledges the need for specific workplace reform both sector wide and in agencies which reflects agency needs and priorities. These will vary from organisation to organisation and may be negotiated both at the central and agency level.

A number of key sector wide priorities are identified in Appendix A. They include such issues as simplification and consolidation of Awards and modernising industrial instruments.

The parties at agency level will develop and agree on reforms and priorities by 31 March 2000. Implementation strategies for the introduction of agreed improvements will be developed by 30 June 2000.

7. Specific Roles & Responsibilities

The parties will:
Nominate specific contact persons for this agreement;
Meet regularly to review progress on sector-wide issues and ensure that timeframes are achieved;
Ensure that management of organisations and union delegates at organisational level are fully aware of this agreement; and
Meet as required to progress agency specific agenda issues.

8. Dispute Resolution
The dispute procedure contained in the relevant Award should be followed. Should a matter not be resolved at the agency level in a reasonable period of time, it should be referred to the appropriate union and/or the Director-General, Premier's Department for resolution.

The industrial parties may seek the assistance of the NSW Industrial Relations Commission should these procedures not resolve the matter. Normal work will continue while these procedures are being followed, unless the dispute involves a bona fide workplace health and safety hazard or risk.

9. Monitoring & Review

Sector-wide Issues

The parties will:
nominate a specific person as the contact person for each sector-wide issue;
meet regularly to review progress on sector-wide issues and take action to ensure that projects are completed on time; and
consult on any variations to the timetable or projects which may facilitate the timely achievements of the objectives in this agreement.

Organisational Level Issues

The parties will in relation to organisational level issues:

ensure that management of organisations and union delegates at organisation level are fully aware of the objectives and provisions of this agreement; and
monitor progress at regular intervals.

The Public Sector Management Office will provide administrative support for monitoring activities.

10. Reporting
The parties will compile progress reports as at 31 May and 30 November each year during the term of this agreement. The Public Sector Management Office will be responsible for providing administrative support.

This Memorandum of Understanding is made at Sydney on the ____________ day of __________________________ 2000 and shall have effect from the date of signing. This agreement will expire on 30 June 2004.

Signed for and on the behalf of the

PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT OFFICE

by Col Gellatly, Director-General, -----------------------------------
Premier's Department,
in the presence of: -----------------------------------

Signed for and on the behalf of the

AUSTRALIAN SALARIED MEDICAL

OFFFICERS' FEDERATION (NSW)

by Geoffrey Duggin, Secretary, -------------------------------------
in the presence of: -------------------------------------

APPENDIX A

KEY PRIORITIES - SECTOR WIDE AGENDA

1 Service Delivery
Achieve employment mobility and flexibility arrangements that allow agencies to provide a range of government services through an integrated approach.

Action strategies will include the following:

Review current arrangements within and between agencies to provide greater flexibility and mobility;
Develop protocols for transfers/secondments between agencies;
Develop generic positions consistent with agreed standards; and
Provide training for any new positions.

Issues to be addressed include:

Barriers in Awards and employment legislation;
Demarcation issues;
Emphasis on local arrangements to respond to service delivery needs;
Impact on staff and clients;
Budget arrangements; and
Evaluation of any new positions.

2 Review the Legislative and Employment Framework
Achieve a simplified public sector management framework that reflects contemporary standards and removes impediments to public sector agencies flexibility in delivering on government priorities.

Review the Public Sector Management Act 1988 and other relevant legislation to achieve new legislation which, among other things:

Facilitates whole of government perspective;
Improves client service;
Drives efficiency;
Promotes more effective and professional public administration, including maintaining merit and equity;
Is aligned with financial management legislation;

Issues to be addressed include:

The need for general principles and/or values to be incorporated into the Act;
The breadth of the concept of 'public service' and the rest of the public sector;
The concept of 'position' and 'officer'
Implementation of the recommendations of the Merit Review;
The administration of the SES;

Modernise employment flexibility:

Discipline, grievance and appeal procedures;
The role of the Public Employment Office as the employer of public servants for industrial purposes;
Legislative authority for special employment programs;
Continued role of the Governor in public sector appointments; and
The interaction of powers between PSM legislation and other Acts.

3 Advance NSW as a digital State

Continue to reduce costs of service delivery across the public sector through the adoption of on-line service delivery. This could mean a reduction in face to face services. In certain circumstances, location is no longer a critical factor.

Long term outcomes include the following:

Agencies can communicate with each other and exchange and share information;
Standard panel contracts comply with whole of Government policies;
Panel contracts are compatible with and facilitate sharing of information;
Maximise Government's existing investment in software and hardware; and
Improve and lower communication costs to rural and regional areas.

Medium term outcomes include:

service.nsw has access to regional homepages which provide Government;
Information on services is available particularly in rural and regional areas;
Agencies have access to regional intranets which provide information and processes which will improve service delivery to customers; and
Agencies have access to video conferencing facilities, centralised help desks and share ownership of servers and other IT&T related infrastructure.

Some job redesign will be necessary to achieve these outcomes and a willingness on the part of employees to retrain for information technology skills.

4 Continue Corporate Services Reform efficiencies
Achieve the highest levels of health and safety for employees thereby reducing workers compensation costs.

Continue to improve utilisation ratio of office accommodation across the public sector.

Investigate further efficiencies in:

Use of IT resources;
Travelling arrangements; and
Purchasing functions.

Continue to develop organisational performance monitoring and measurement criteria.

Support electronic service delivery to customers and electronic self service for employees (pay slips, leave balances).

Establish the Workforce Profile survey as an annual data collection activity.

Benchmark support staff across the public sector.

Manage employee time and attendance, including flexitime arrangements and long term absences,

5 Modernise Structures and Pay Systems
Rationalise and modernise industrial instruments across the sector, provide an up-to-date classification framework for public sector agencies and introduce innovative schemes to improve and reward employee performance.

Action strategies will include:

Consolidate Awards;
Modernise Industrial Instruments;
Develop a Classification Framework which addresses equity issues and features broadbanding and improved career paths;
Continue to implement effective Performance Management systems;
Provide a Framework for performance reward and recognition schemes; and
Introduce salary packaging for non-SES employees.

The parties will jointly examine:

Allowances with a view to consolidation and/or annualisation, where appropriate;
Progression and salary increment systems; and
Facilitative arrangements to enable greater workplace flexibility.

Issues to be addressed include:

Agency participation in consolidating/modernising Awards;
S19 Award Review process;
Review Job Evaluation Systems;
Best practice performance reward and recognition systems;
Implications of recent taxation changes re salary packaging; and
Cost/benefit analysis.