Problems at work?

How ALIA can help you...

• Am I receiving a proper salary?
• What awards, agreements or legislation cover my employment?
• How can I go about negotiating an individual contract?
• How should I structure a pay claim or a request for reclassification?
• What are my rights in the workplace?

Need support or advice?

The Australian Library and Information Association's industrial services program is available free-of-charge to all members. It covers all matters connected to or arising from the employment contract and can deal with information on employment terms and conditions, interpretation of and help with employment legislation, advice on how members can improve their situation and provision of support when difficulties are encountered.

Issues of importance for the profession as a whole are dealt with, as are individual problems and grievances. Services to ALIA Groups are also readily available.

Representations can be made on behalf of members to a range of bodies, including employers, government agencies, trade unions and other professional bodies. Where individual issues are involved letters of support may be provided when a case is justified. These can be made available directly to you for your use in a way you believe is appropriate. Alternatively, submissions can be made directly to employers setting out concerns the Association has on your behalf.

Getting help...

When you have a problem in the workplace which you may not be able to handle, a call to ALIA National Office can often resolve the issue. A short discussion may be sufficient to provide you with the information to deal with the matter promptly.

Sometimes, however, the problem may be more complicated and require careful and detailed consideration. In those circumstances, it may be necessary for you to provide a comprehensive written description of the matter.

Cases can vary widely and full details are necessary if a relevant and effective course of action is to be proposed for you. You should therefore make sure all necessary information is provided to ALIA National Office. This could include:

• The direct parties involved - is the matter affecting you alone, or are other colleagues involved? Who is the responsible manager?
• What is the nature of the employing body: a school, college, private company, public library?
• Is a trade union active in the workplace? Are you a member? Is the union involved in the particular issue?
• What is the basis of your employment: full-time, part-time, casual? Are you a consultant or a contractor? Who do you report to? Do you supervise other staff?
• What steps have been taken to date to resolve the issue: discussions with management; exchange of correspondence; union negotiations; use of grievance procedures?
• What is your current salary and classification? Are you seeking a different salary and/or classification?
• What precise duties do you undertake and have they changed since you took up your current position?

Any relevant documentation, such as job descriptions, duty statements and correspondence may be useful to ALIA National Office in formulating a strategy to deal with the problem.

It is important to seek assistance at an early stage.

It will not be easy for ALIA to help if an approach is left until the last minute. It is usually much more difficult to gain changes after decisions have been taken, than to influence outcomes during the decision making process.

Call ALIA National Office as soon as you have identified the problem.

Who to call

If you have an employment problem, contact the Association's Advisor, Industrial Relations / Human Resources, Heather Nash, ph 02 6215 8228, fx 02 6282 2249, heather.nash@alia.org.au.nospam (please remove '.nospam' from address).