Officer Employment?
Often I have tried to explain to people in the community the nature of an officers’ employee relationship to The Salvation Army. We are not actually employees, we are not volunteers, we are not self traders or sub contractors. In the course of this explanation there is a mix of reactions. Some are surprised at this relationship while others raise questions about the legality of how this relationship is allowed to work given current employee/ employer rules and regulations in Australia. Trying to explain how this relationship works is difficult.
Often I have tried to explain to people in the community the nature of an officers’ employee relationship to The Salvation Army. We are not actually employees, we are not volunteers, we are not self traders or sub contractors. In the course of this explanation there is a mix of reactions. Some are surprised at this relationship while others raise questions about the legality of how this relationship is allowed to work given current employee/ employer rules and regulations in Australia. Trying to explain how this relationship works is difficult.
As a Salvation Army officer, if you have employees working under you, you are required by national and state law to follow all employee legislation in your dealings with them. They have legal rights that that must observed. Should an officer fail to observe these employee rights and follow correct procedures The Salvation Army could find itself in court.
However, it is my understanding that as a Salvation Army Officer you do not have same legal standing and protections as the employees you have to administer. I once had it said to me by a very senior officer that “the Army” could one day decide that they don’t have an appointment for me, they could then say “thank you” and that would be the end of the relationship. While I never heard of this actually happening I am very concerned that if I upset the wrong people within the organisation it just might happen. Especially as some very senior positions within The Salvation Army are now being held by actual non-officer employees. In the Australian Eastern Territory employees now outnumber officers by almost seven to one.
Our odd “employment” status in the modern labour landscape raises some important issues.
Is this lack of access for Salvation Army Officers to employee rights enshrined in legislation ethical in the modern labour landscape?
There are now some highly placed employees that have officers working under them. If the officer does meet expectations what protection does that officer have should their employee manager no longer want them in their department?
We are not allowed {by law} to discriminate as to religious beliefs when it comes to hiring and firing employees. It is not required that an employee be a practicing Christian when they are employed by The Salvation Army however they do have uphold the values and standards of the organisation. What if that well respected and very talented highly placed employee suddenly becomes an atheist?
I believe that it is time to form an association for Salvation Army officers. This association could;
- To be a voice for and from Salvation Army Officers to Territorial Leadership.
- To offer a listening ear and if necessary offer counsel and advice to those officers who are feeling disaffected by “our system”.
- To act as mediator between officers and the officer leadership to ensure the same fair and equitable process is offered on all levels as is offered to those The Salvation Army employs.
- To regularly dialogue with our Territorial Leadership about issues causing serious concern among the officer ranks.
- To work with the Territorial Pastoral Care Office to follow up on former officers within the Territory.
The Salvation Army Officers Association should not be seen as a union. It should only seek to provide representation and guidance to its members and as such will only involve itself in any industrial relations matters in that capacity. This association will not have all the answers and it may not be able to solve all the issues. However how many now former officers would still be serving God in His Army if they access to the same processes and procedures that employees automatically have access to? Ordinary rank and file Officers need a voice they currently they do not have when it comes to their employment status, this association may be that voice.
Colin Young
Commanding Officer
Dubbo, NSW Australia
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