Finance - vote for your union bargaining team representatives!

I worked as a lawyer in Legal Aid and at the Immigration Advice and Rights Centre in Sydney, before working for Government in various policy, IR and HR roles. I have represented the NSW Government in the NSW Industrial Relations Commission and in negotiations with NSW public sector unions.

I would like the chance to apply my negotiation and persuasion skills and the knowledge I have gained from being on the “other side of the table” to get a strong collective agreement with improved working conditions in place. I also aim to increase union membership in the Department.

A brief background: I joined the APS in 2004 from the private sector as an APS 6. Through progression from APS 6 to EL2, I have gained an insight of the working environment for APS staff and EL staff. While in the private sector, I was made redundant during the dot-com crash. I subsequently found out that my redundancy was illegal. I now want to make a contribution to ensure this type of thing does not happen to me or any of my colleagues again.

I believe that the opportunity to be part of the negotiating team will also assist me in my goals to be an effective manager and an advocate for staff.

Since joining AGIMO I have been fortunate to be involved in one of AGIMO's top priorities – the Australian Public Service (APS) Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Apprenticeship Program. Through my work I have built relationships with staff of all levels within AGIMO and the wider Finance portfolio.

During my time in DCITA I played a lead role in three Collective Agreement processes (2007, 2004, 2001), and in 2007 and 2004, I was a member of the Negotiation Team representing Executive Level staff. I undertook in-depth research on issues raised by my colleagues, including flex time for EL staff and harassment and workplace bullying. I actively participated in All Staff meetings and spoke to Branches and Sections within DCITA as requested. Even though my role was to represent EL staff, I was also well placed to represent APS staff due to the knowledge I gained over nine years of service to DCITA.

I have been a financial Community Public Sector Union (CPSU) member for approximately five years. I have undertaken the roles of CPSU Delegate and Deputy Delegate ( http://www.cpsu.org.au/aboutus/infopages/2986.html ), as well as corporate roles such as fire warden, and Workplace Consultative Committee member. My preferred Delegate style is one where colleagues can approach me at any time to discuss issues that affect them in the workplace. I am also comfortable talking to staff about the Collective Agreement process, joining the CPSU and circulating CPSU information that is both general and Finance-related.

If you need any further information, please do not hesitate to get in touch. My telephone number is 6215 2728 and my email is bronwyn.paschalidis@finance.gov.au

Before joining Finance, I spent four years in the ACT Treasury mostly dealing with inter-governmental relations and the ACT budget.

My interest in taking part in the negotiations for the Finance Certified Agreement is focused on achieving remuneration arrangements that appropriately reward employees for the time and effort that they contribute to deliver the Department’s outputs. I have a particular focus in negotiating a remuneration framework that fully takes into account the significant demands placed on Budget Group employees. We all know that working in Budget Group can impose significant demands on employees’ lives due to long working hours and having to deal with highly sensitive issues on an ongoing basis. I believe that conditions have improved in recent years, however, more needs to be done to ensure that Budget officers feel adequately rewarded for their efforts.

I am an accountant by profession and have extensive experience in reviewing agency finances and negotiating funding bids with agencies at high levels. In this regard, I have participated in a number of agency financial health reviews which have involved sensitive negotiations with senior management.

Finally, through my extensive budget experience, I have gained a thorough understanding and knowledge of the employment conditions and remuneration arrangements that apply to most of the central agencies such as PM&C, Treasury and Finance. I believe that these skills would allow me to positively contribute to the achievement of the negotiating team’s goals particularly in regards to the likely discussions on financial impacts and the Department’s financial capacity to meet the conditions and remuneration levels proposed by the team on behalf of Finance employees.

My current work predominately involves policy development and administration of the entitlements framework for Senator and Members. In scale, (I believe but could be proved wrong) parliamentary entitlements is more complex than the Collective Agreement. If chosen, I will put my experience to good use by approaching bargaining holistically.

I am well organised, supervising 7 staff members. Negation skills are crucial in achieving desired outputs, particularly against the changing needs/situations of staff. I establish key performance indicators to monitor progress against goals. This background I believe is a good foundation for negotiating the new agreement.

I have good communication skills learnt during many years in such roles executive officer, DLO, intranet site developer, handbook author and protocol officer during 2020 Australia summit.

I want to be part of the negotiating that delivers a fairer more transparent employment framework for my colleagues and me. Finance has for too long been hidden from view. I will challenge Finance management to lose the grip. Plus, I don’t take myself too seriously!

Regards

Maribel Lopera
Assistant Director
Parliamentary Travel Services
Department of Finance and Deregulation
Ph: 02 6215 3716
Fax 02 6267 3119
Mob: 0409 329 671

I have been in the Department of Finance for nearly three years, in which I spend 95% of that in Budget Group. This included working long hours without breaks and at times without pay. Through my time in Budget Group I identified a few areas that needed to be looked at and possibly changed.

1. Better incentives to work longer hours.
2. Enforcement of Occupational Health and Safety Regulations.
3. A cultural change needed to work/life balance.
4. Recognition for working extended hours as well as recognition for working hard of the 7.21 hours a day we are here in peak times.
5. A better performance management system.
6. A more competitive salary increase, i.e. at least in line with other central agencies. (i.e. Treasury and Prime Minister and Cabinet)
7. More opportunity to Acting or Higher Duties.
8. More disclosure of Personal HR records, i.e. remuneration submissions. (which currently staff are not given a copy).
9. Senior Management accountable for recruitment and better disclosure of the process.

In my time with Finance I have always been a person to encourage employees to fight for their rights, whether it be disputing pay or being harassed by other employees. I have been there to either encourage or fight for them without fear of it coming back to bite me. I believe in others rights to have the basic needs if not more for the working environment. Please contact me if you have need any further information.

Regards