Union claims Kimberley TAFE jobs in limbo

TAFE staff from the Kimberley and Pilbara regions have been left “in limbo” since structural changes were made to WA vocational education and training, a trade union claims.

Training and Workforce Minister Liza Harvey announced earlier this year 11 TAFE colleges and their 70 campus locations would be managed by a network of five colleges from April 11.

Administrative structures across the 11 establishments have been streamlined into five administrative centres and five governing councils.

As a result of the changes, all Kimberley Training Institute campuses are now part of North Regional TAFE, including Broome, Derby, Fitzroy Crossing, Halls Creek and Kununurra, as well as the six Pilbara Institute campuses.

Community and Public Sector Union assistant secretary Rikki Hendon said 13 jobs would be axed as a result of the Kimberley/Pilbara TAFE merger, while 43 jobs from the Kimberley and 32 positions in the Pilbara were under review.

These include training directors, IT, marketing and communications, records co-ordinators and human resources.

Ms Hendon said there had been a “severe lack” of consultation with existing staff.

“Jobs may go from the smaller campuses like Fitzroy Crossing or Wyndham, as corporate services are to be centralised at the bigger campuses, so that’s full-time jobs going from small Pilbara and Kimberley communities that need them most,” she said.

“It’s disappointing Minister Liza Harvey did not fulfil her promise to consult with our members in the development of the Training Sector Reform Project.”

However, Department of Training and Workforce Development director general Ruth Shean said the figure of 13 referred to the number of staff who would be offered alternative employment within the public training sector or voluntary severance.

She said there would be about 24 fewer positions at North Regional TAFE, some of which were already vacant.

“No staff have been made redundant,” she said.

“Expressions of interest have been called for staff interested voluntary severance, no offers have been made to date.”

Karen Dickinson, who served as the KTI Broome campus managing director for seven years, has been replaced by Kevin Doig, who has been appointed the interim managing director of North Regional TAFE.

A new governing council has also been appointed, headed up by chairman Ian Smith.

Ms Shean said training directors would be situated at the major campuses while the department was continuing to work with the governing council to determine the main location for college administrative staff.