Before the Industrial Relations Commission s8

Vol. 345, Part 8 13 August 2004 Pages 737 - 1004

NEW SOUTH WALES

INDUSTRIAL GAZETTE

Printed by the authority of the

Industrial Registrar

50 Phillip Street, Sydney, N.S.W.

ISSN 0028-677X

CONTENTS

Vol. 345, Part 8 13 August 2004

Pages 737 - 1004

Page

Awards and Determinations -

Awards Made or Varied -

N.S.W. INDUSTRIAL GAZETTE - Vol. 345 13 August 2004

CROWN EMPLOYEES (LANDS OFFICERS, DEPARTMENT OF LANDS AND D0EPARTMENT OF INFRASTRUCTURE, PLANNING AND NATURAL RESOURCES 2003) AWARD

INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS COMMISSION OF NEW SOUTH WALES

Review of Award pursuant to Section 19 of the Industrial Relations Act 1996.

(No. IRC 5645 of 2003)

REVIEWED AWARD

PART A

Clause No. Subject Matter

1. Definitions

2. Parties

3. Title of Award

4. Wage Basis

5. Area, Incidence and Duration

6. Classifications Structure

7. General Employment Conditions

8. Salary and Allowances

9. Anti-Discrimination

10. Consultation, Grievance Procedures

11. Safety

12. Relationship to other Awards

PART B

MONETARY RATES

Table 1 - Salaries

1. Definitions

"Officers" means and includes all persons permanently or temporarily employed under the provision of the Public Sector Employment and Management Act 2002.

"Association" means the Public Service Association and Professional Officers Association Amalgamated Union of New South Wales.

"Department" means the New South Wales Department of Lands and the Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Natural Resources.

"PEO" means the Public Employment Office of New South Wales, a statutory body representing the Crown constituted under the Public Sector Employment and Management Act 2002.

"Lands Officer" means and includes all persons permanently or temporarily employed under the provisions of the Public Sector Employment and Management Act 2002, who occupy positions that accommodate professional and technical land management and land information work within the Department. These positions were defined under the former awards:

Crown Employees (Lands Officers, Department of Land and Water Conservation and Department of Information Technology and Management 1999) Award published on 23 June 2000 (316 I.G. 728).

Crown Employees (Lands Officers, Department of Land and Water Conservation) Award published on 12 April 1996 (291 I.G. 1268).

"Qualification" means ability to perform professional and technical land management and land information work, pertaining to the Department, and may be conferred either by:

(i) an accredited educational institution;

(ii) an approved appropriate Departmental training program;

(iii) demonstrated work experience in professional and technical land management and land information;

(iv) combinations of (i), (ii), (iii), subject to the provisions of this Award.

"Service" means continuous service. Future appointees shall be deemed to have the years of service indicated by the salary at which these officers are appointed.

"T.A.F.E." means the New South Wales Department of Technical and Further Education.

"N.O.H. & S.C. means the National Occupational Health and Safety Commission.

2. Parties

This Award is made pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 2 Part 1 Division 1 of the Industrial Relations Act 1996, and shall be binding upon:

The Public Employment Office, the Department of Lands, the Department of Infrastructure Planning and Natural Resources, the Public Service Association and Professional Officers’ Association Amalgamated Union of New South Wales and all employees as defined by the Award.

3. Title of Award

This Award shall be known as the Crown Employees (Lands Officers, Department of Lands and Department of Infrastructure Planning and Natural Resources, 2003) Award.

4. Wage Basis

This Award in so far as it fixes rates of pay is made by reference to the Crown Employees (Public Sector - Salaries January, 2002) Award.

5. Area, Incidence and Duration

The purpose of this Award is to partially regulate the terms and conditions of employment of Lands Officers as defined, employed by the Department and engaged in professional and technical land management and land information work in and from its offices throughout the State.

The changes made to the award pursuant to the Award Review pursuant to section 19(6) of the Industrial Relations Act 1996 and Principle 26 of the Principles for Review of Awards made by the Industrial Relations Commission of New South Wales on 28 April 1999 (310 IG 359) take effect on and from the first pay period to commence on or after 28 November 2003.

The award remains in force until varied or rescinded, the period for which it was made having already expired.

6. Classification Structure

6.1 Qualifications

6.1.1 Qualification requirements for the performance of work covered by this Award are set on the basis of the need for those qualifications to perform the work of positions at the levels of skill and competency as defined hereunder. Such qualifications include the possession of a Certificate or Diploma approved under existing Awards, Agreements or Determinations as follows:

Administrative Survey Drafting Certificate, Land and Engineering Survey Drafting Certificate, Survey Certificate or Survey Diploma;

Degrees, Diplomas or Certificates in Surveying, Planning, Forestry, Land Resource Management or Environment Studies;

Cartography Certificate;

Associate Diploma in Cartography;

Courses which would enable membership of the Australian Institute of Valuers and Land Administrators;

Associate Diploma in Land Information Systems.

Additional formal qualifications relevant to professional and technical land management and land information shall be a matter for consultation between the Department and the Association through the Consultative Committee established under Clause 10 - Consultation, Grievance Procedures.

6.1.2 A Lands officer is qualified in terms of paragraph 6.3.2 Level 2 of this clause upon completion of:

(a) an approved external course of study at an accredited educational institution and two (2) years of demonstrated Lands Officer work experience, or

(b) an approved appropriate structured and on the job training program or equivalent

6.2 Competency Standards and Levels of Expertise

6.2.1 Level of Control

(a) Close Guidance

Staff working with close guidance undertake a range of technical tasks which are routine in nature, with limited responsibility for the final outcome.

Such persons receive detailed technical instructions on what is required and on the method of approach; technical assistance is readily available.

Work performance is regularly monitored and assignments are closely assessed on completion.

(b) Guidance

Staff working with technical guidance receive technical instructions, normally from an immediate supervisor, on what is required, on the method of approach and on unusual or difficult features, except where they are familiar with the work.

Such persons' understanding of the technical aspects of the work usually enables them to perform their duties without close guidance, undertaking technical tasks or activities which are routine in nature, with limited responsibility for the final outcome.

The work is normally subject to progress checks and assignments are assessed on completion.

(c) Limited Guidance

Staff working with limited guidance have their working objectives or priorities set for them, usually from within the same establishment.

Such persons are competent technically and require little technical guidance. They are expected to exercise initiative and judgement in carrying out their work.

They may be subject to progress checks but where these are made they are usually confined to ensuring that, in broad terms, satisfactory progress is being made.

(d) Within Broad Guidelines

Staff working within broad guidelines normally receive instructions in the form of broadly stated objectives. They work with considerable autonomy.

Such persons have extensive technical experience and rarely require technical guidance. They are expected to exercise considerable initiative and judgements in carrying out their work. They may in some cases contribute to the determination of the objectives.

Conformity with instructions is measured in terms of the achievement of objectives.

(e) Independent

Staff working with technical independence are those Technical Specialists responsible for technical policy within their functional areas; they may also be responsible for operational policy.

Such persons have extensive experience within, and a comprehensive knowledge of, their functions. They exercise substantial independence and discretion in relation to those functions.

Conformity with instructions is measured in terms of the achievement of objectives.

6.2.2 Complexity of Work

(a) Straightforward

Straightforward work is work in which tasks or activities are clear cut and directly related to the person's experience and training.

Actions or responses to be made can be readily discerned.

Only limited experience is required.

(b) Moderately Complex

Moderately complex work requires the application of established principles, practices and procedures in combination to tasks, activities or a function.

Although actions or responses to be made can generally be related to past experience, there may be occasions where they cannot and technical assistance will be sought. The work may involve planning.

Moderate experience and, where appropriate, training relevant to the work is required.

(c) Complex

Complex work involves the application of a sound working knowledge of established principles, practices and procedures as they affect all aspects of a range of activities or a function.

Actions or responses to be made require considerable judgemental skill; the work requires the bringing together of a range of elements and the determination of method of approach from a range of alternatives.

Extensive experience and, where appropriate, training relevant to the work is required.

(d) Very Complex

Very complex work involves the application of in-depth technical knowledge to an activity.

Actions or responses to be made require technical insight relevant to the activity concerned and the exercising of a high level of analytical skill; the work requires the bringing together of a range of elements and the determination of method of approach from a range of alternatives.

Relevant experience and specialised technical knowledge is required.

6.2.3 Management Responsibility

(a) Limited Responsibility

Staff exercising limited responsibility are responsible for the use, deployment and control of resources within a facility, project team or medium sized workshop, subject to regular liaison with the next level of management. The supervision is normally based within the work area concerned.

(b) Moderate Responsibility

Staff exercising moderate responsibility are responsible for the use, deployment and control of resources within a facility, project team or large workshop, each having a variety of trade or technical disciplines, or directs and co-ordinates the activities of technical staff working across a function in a number of work areas at least one of which is remote from the manager.

(c) High Responsibility

Staff at this level exercise considerable independence and discretion in the use, deployment and control of resources, within the limits of an agreed program of work. The work of the functional organisation or facility concerned, regardless of its size, would be critical to a significant departmental program. The position would be at the highest operational levels of the functional organisation of facility.

6.2.4 Corporate Impact

(a) Limited Impact

The position is responsible for the development or effective implementation of the operational policy or technical policy for a function within an establishment.

Operational or technical advice is given to subordinates or others within the establishment and recommendations as to organisational policy on these matters are made to the next level of management.

(b) Moderate Impact

The position is responsible for the development or effective implementation of the operational policy or technical policy for a function within a major establishment or critical functional area within an establishment or throughout a service district or Region.

Operational or technical advice is given to subordinates or others within the establishment or functional area or throughout the district or Region, and recommendations as to organisational policy on these matters are made to the next level of management.

(c) High Impact

The position has a significant influence on departmental operational policy or technical policy, or is responsible for the development or effective implementation of the operational policy or technical policy for a function at a senior level.

Operational or technical advice is given to subordinates at a senior level or technical support is given to senior levels in the Department in respect to a significant departmental program.

6.3 Levels of Skills Competency and Expertise

6.3.1 Level 1

(a) Classification

A recruit with little or no experience who would require training and close supervision. Technical decisions called for would be of a routine nature and would relate to the application of established principles. With experience, a Lands Officer (Level 1) would stabilise at a level of general technical direction.

(b) Level of Control - Close guidance.

(c) Complexity of Work - Straightforward.

(d) Management Responsibility - Nil.

(e) Corporate Impact - Nil.

(f) Special Conditions

(i) A Lands officer with the Higher School Certificate shall be paid not less than the rate prescribed for salary point (9) per annum at nineteen (19) years of age.

(ii) A Lands Officer with at least three (3) years of level 1 Lands Officer work experience and who is appointed to take charge of a field party, shall be paid not less than the rate prescribed for salary point (40).

6.3.2 Level 2

(a) Classification

An experienced and/or qualified officer who would operate under general technical direction. A Lands Officer (Level 2) would make independent conclusions in the application of technical principles. Complex or unusual matters or decision would usually be referred to a more senior officer.