PSA calls on DCS Chief Executive to apologise to staff

The PSA has written to DCS Chief Executive David Brown, calling on him to apologise to staff for the lack of dignity and respect shown to you by DCS management. 

Confirming once more the attitude of the government and the challenge ahead of us in enterprise agreement negotiations, pictures recently posted on the Department for Correctional Services’ intranet of a senior managers forum showed managers boasting that “keeping staff on relatively low incomes in face of inflation” was one of their achievements. (read the full adelaidenow article here)

This is symptomatic of public sector management implementing successive governments’ policies of suppressing public service wages.

This management position is in direct conflict with the Public Sector Values and the broader South Australian Public Sector Values and Behaviours Framework, in particular ‘Respect’.

The idea that “keeping staff on relatively low incomes in the face of inflation” is being touted as an achievement is not just deeply insensitive—it signals a failure by DCS to show any respect or care for its workforce. For a government agency that is tasked with a mission of public service to promote such a disgraceful notion is entirely unacceptable.

The PSA issued a statement directly to the Deputy Chief Executive about the impact on members of this disgraceful management attitude at the recent Central Consultative Committee meeting.

Following this, meetings have now been held at each prison site where the following motion was passed:

That the Public Service Association members of the Department for Correctional Services have no confidence in Chief Executive David Brown and Deputy Chief Executive Hayley Mills. The recent statement made at a DCS senior management forum, listing “keeping staff on relatively low incomes in the face of inflation” as an achievement, has deeply upset  the correctional services workforce. This statement, and the fact that the DCS Executive has not condemned the actions, nor seems to be able to recognise the hurt or apologise for causing it, confirms what members have thought for some time: DCS Executive has no respect or care for the workforce which operates the Department they are responsible for.

Many employees are struggling financially, relying on overtime to cover basic expenses, and this remark reflects a disturbing disconnect from staff realities. At a time when retention and attraction in our industry is hard, and when wages need serious improvement to be competitive against these issues, the Executive’s celebration of keeping workers’ wages below inflation is insulting, unacceptable and counter productive to their own responsibility to the proper resourcing of the Department. 

The employees of this Department are its greatest asset, yet it is apparent this is a view not shared by the Executive. We believe that both Mr Brown and Ms Mills’ demonstrated lack of empathy and understanding toward staff concerns calls for immediate action to rectify these issues, including fair wage adjustments and a formal apology to all DCS staff for the insensitive and totally inappropriate management position.

The PSA has now written to Chief Executive David Brown following the passing of the motion by members, and calling on him to apologise to staff for the lack of dignity and respect shown to you by DCS management. You can read the PSA’s letter here. DCS_241120_Motion passed at prison sites.pdf