Over the last few months it would be fair to say that CANZ has given PPS General Manager Phil McCarthy a significant amount of latitude in terms of his updates regarding your Union. We have done so for two reasons, and they are:

1. We figure that the vast majority of you are astute enough to realise that many of his comments are, to say the least, inaccurate, and
2. We have chosen to ignore his subjective and somewhat amateur outbursts in the interests of potential progress.
   However, there comes a time when, to quote the great one himself, we have to “set the record straight” and the time is now. In doing so, I’ll endeavour to take a somewhat different approach to the G.M. and provide information from “the horse’s mouth”, as opposed to the other end!

Thursday’s R&R Meeting.
When we met on Thursday to discuss PPS’s recruitment &Retention problem, we really did afford PPS the common courtesy of assuming that they may have at least some ideas of how the problem could be resolved. We were, however, completely wrong, as they had nothing to offer at all! The only proposals tabled (and there were several) all came from your representatives. However, the fact remains that we did expect some contribution from PPS and Mr. McCarthy is in no position to claim otherwise. Suffice it to say that we’ll know better next time.

Media Misrepresentation!
Whilst on the subject of inaccurate information, I feel it appropriate to get a few other issues on the table for your consideration. Many of you would have read Mr. McCarthy’s recent comments regarding Corrections Officers’ starting pay and potential progression. He has been quoted as claiming that the starting rate is $36,000 and progression to $42,000 can be attained within two years.

The last time I checked the CEA, the starting rate was just over $34,000 – and that includes a negotiated increase of 5% over the last 15 months! (3%+2%). As far as progression is concerned, completion of the necessary qualifications will result in progress to $42,000. However, the vast majority of people will have discovered that access to the Unit Standards required for such progression is, to say the least, extremely difficult and some would even claim impossible.

These are extremely important issues to our members Mr. McCarthy, so if you are going to comment, please try to get it right!

Maximum Operating Capacity (Muster Levels).
My corrective exercise would not be complete without reference to the meeting that took place between CANZ and PPS at the beginning of the muster debacle (referred to by Mr. McCarthy in his original “let’s set the record straight” epistle).

It is true to say that your National Officers and I met with Mr. McCarthy and his colleagues to discuss the muster crisis, but Mr. McCarthy’s recollection of these discussions appears to differ significantly from reality! When we arrived for the meeting, we were greeted by Phil – looking bright eyed and bushy tailed – and PPS Senior Managers Scott Gwynne and Ian Taylor.

Phil informed us that he’d read the muster protocol and was of the clear understanding that no negotiation was required. It was his contention that he was obliged to consult only and, following consultation, was at liberty to increase institutional musters at his discretion. His view was supported by his colleagues.

I attempted to explain to him that there were, in fact, two distinctly separate protocols (one for “business as usual” increases and one for “emergency” increases) and he’d read the wrong one! Unfortunately Phil wasn’t having a bar of this and informed us that if we continued to insist that negotiation and agreement was required, he would leave the meeting.

We did, of course, insist and he immediately walked out and left us to his somewhat embarrassed colleagues. Your CANZ representatives continued to maintain a dignified and professional approach, ignored the low-flying dummies and discarded teddies and proceeded to explain to PPS how their Collective Agreement really works!

They agreed to take our comments under advisement and came back several days later to sheepishly acknowledge that we were, in fact, correct! The rest is history and the closing paragraphs of Mr. McCarthy’s latest update puts matters into clear perspective. PPS’s current position appears to be as follows:

• They are telling us that there isn’t really a recruitment and retention problem, but telling the rest of New Zealand that there is!
• They are committed to reviewing pay rates, but need our expertise to work out how (It’s easy Phil – just add at least $5,000 to all steps in the current scale!)
• We have made significant concessions in an effort to assist, but Phil appears to want more!
• The current review is little more than a facade, with the real agenda being the elimination of both scale “B” and the current muster restrictions.

Your dreaming Phil and when you wake up you should apologize quickly – before it’s too late!

Yours in unity,

Brian Davies
Senior National Organiser
CANZ