BULLETIN 7
POST PROPOSAL UNACCEPTABLE TO MEMBERS
As readers will be aware, Australia Post has put their EBA8 offer to your Union. The Post offer was released last Friday.
All States have engaged in feedback sessions with members and the overwhelming response is that the offer in its current form is unacceptable. We have informed Post that the proposal is unacceptable and that we would not recommend the offer to members.
YOUR UNION’S CLAIM
Your Union has placed a counter claim on the table for Australia Post’s consideration. This claim has three main parts:
1. Pay Rises
- Pay rises of 6% this year. This would include the 1½% due in December from the last EBA. 4½% to be paid on 1 August 2013 with the remaining 1½ % to be paid in December this year.
- A further 4% in 2014.
- A further 4% in 2015.
- A caucus of both the National Office and all State Branches agreed that your Union would not support any changes to superannuation arrangements whatsoever.
- We are still seeking reasonable, but not wholesale, changes to clauses in the current EBA.
- We have reviewed and prioritised our claims after receiving Australia Post’s response and will continue to work through the remaining issues.
- Australia Post has just presented their log of claims on EBA clauses and we are collectively working through them.
Australia Post is considering their position. We are keen to continue to bargain in good faith. Your Union will continue to be guided by the views of the membership and we will be seeking further feedback as issues progress.
Please forward any questions or thoughts through to your State Branch and/or ebainfo@cwu.org.au.
We also encourage members to forward their thoughts to Australia Post at http://auspost.com.au/about-us/enterprise-agreement.html or on 1800 106 245.
BULLETIN 5
The majority of our claims have now been tabled. In the coming weeks more work will be done on the Retail Transformation Services Agreement (RSTA), a range of issues that affect the technical workforce and some specific transport matters.
SUPERANNUATION
Your Union is seeking to have strong guarantees around superannuation included in the new Agreement.
Post suggested that members be able to cash in some of their superannuation benefit to effectively fund their own pay rises!
Your Union will not accept this. Feedback from the vast majority of members indicates that people will not tolerate having their superannuation in the Defined Benefit Scheme tinkered with in any shape or form.
DISCIPLINARY PROCEDURES
Your Union has previously indicated we are seeking a commitment that all warnings, under the Employee Conduct and Disciplinary Procedure, are subject to the same appeal process that occurs at inquiry level.
Despite numerous examples provided by your Union, Post is still refusing to concede that the process is being abused by management.
SICK LEAVE PAYOUT
Australia Post has indicated that they will not support the payout of sick leave when people leave Australia Post as it would cost several hundred million dollars.
LONG SERVICE LEAVE
Long service leave protections were sought in the Agreement.
Post has stated they are guaranteed in Commonwealth legislation. Your Union pointed out that the provisions could be changed by future governments and we will still be seeking firm commitments in EBA8.
TEA BREAKS
Your Union is still seeking to have at least one guaranteed tea break for all part-timers and two tea breaks for full-timers inserted into the new Agreement. Australia Post has acknowledged that tea breaks are an important component of OHS issues and are rethinking their current position.
INCOME PROTECTION
Australia Post has stated that an employee income protection scheme will cost in excess of $20 million per year. A number of factors were not taken into consideration by Australia Post and we have insisted they rework their calculations.
TELL AHMED IT’S TIME TO DELIVER A DECENT PAY RISE
Don’t forget to sign up for campaign updates at www.eba8.com.au and spread the word to your workmates, family and friends to do the same.
While you’re there why not send an email to the CEO and your local MP to tell them it’s time they delivered a decent pay rise?