PSA members working at Transport for NSW (TfNSW) rallied outside their workplace to protest against workplace presence rules that reduce the ability of members to work from home.

The protest was organised in response to the Premier’s Circular demanding employees place greater emphasis on “office presence” and work from home less.
However, the PSA believes there is not enough office space to accommodate TfNSW staff.

“The default arrangement in the TfNSW policy is that staff are to attend the workplace five days a week, with ad hoc requests to work from home considered,” said PSA Assistant General Secretary Troy Wright. “However, as we have seen, too often there is not the space available if staff were to come into the office in greater numbers.
“It is not worth coming into work if you are forced to set up office in a coffee shop downstairs.”

Industrial Manager Nathan Bradshaw (pictured below facing members) spoke at the rally.

Mr Bradshaw said leaving decisions on working from home to managers leaves members open to favouritism and bullying.

Mr Bradshaw noted there were issues with public transport on the morning of the rally, which would have been frustrating for staff forced back to the office.

The PSA is in similar discussions with a number of agencies, including Treasury, Primary Industries, Revenue NSW and a number of other parts of the Customer Service cluster.