AN160268 – Public Service Award 1992

38. - TRADE UNION TRAINING LEAVE

(1) Subject to departmental convenience and the provisions of this clause:

(a) The employer shall grant paid leave of absence to officers who are nominated by the Association to attend short courses relevant to the public sector or the role of union workplace representative, conducted by the Civil Service Association.

(b) The employer shall grant paid leave of absence to attend similar courses or seminars as from time to time approved by agreement between the employer and the Association.

(2) An officer shall be granted up to a maximum of five (5) days paid leave per calendar year for trade union training or similar courses or seminars as approved. However, leave of absence in excess of five (5) days and up to ten (10) days may be granted in any one calendar year provided that the total leave being granted in that year and in the subsequent year does not exceed ten (10) days.

(3) (a) Leave of absence will be granted at the ordinary rate of pay and shall not include shift allowances, penalty rates or overtime.

(b) Where a Public Holiday or rostered day off falls during the duration of a course, a day off in lieu of that day will not be granted.

(c) Subject to paragraph (3)(a) of this clause, shift workers attending a course shall be deemed to have worked the shifts they would have worked had leave not been taken to attend the course.

(d) Part-time officers shall receive the same entitlement as full time officers, but payment shall only be made for those hours that would normally have been worked but for the leave.

(4) (a) Any application by an officer shall be submitted to the employer for approval at least four weeks before the commencement of the course unless the employer agrees otherwise.

(b) All applications for leave shall be accompanied by a statement from the union indicating that the officer has been nominated for the course. The application shall provide details as to the subject, commencement date, length of course, venue and the authority, which is conducting the course.

(5) A qualifying period of twelve months service shall be served before an officer is eligible to attend courses or seminars of more than a half-day duration. The employer may, where special circumstances exist, approve an application to attend a course or seminar where an officer has less than twelve months service.

(6) (a) The employer shall not be liable for any expenses associated with an officer’s attendance at trade union training courses.

(b) Leave of absence granted under this clause shall include any necessary travelling time in normal working hours immediately before or after the course.