EBA9 BALLOT RESULT
The results are in and a majority of Australia Post staff have supported the EBA9 offer from Australia Post. Almost 60% of employees eligible to vote returned their ballots. 74% of employees nationally voted ‘yes’.
Australia Post workers in Victoria rejected the deal with 55% voting ‘NO’.
In the run up to the ballot, CWU members in Victoria were clear that the proposed offer was unacceptable and asked the Branch to conduct a Vote No campaign. A random survey conducted by your Branch saw 75% of members wishing to take some form of industrial action in order to secure a better outcome (21% were unsure and and 4% were unwilling.)
Despite, the mother of all scare campaigns waged by Australia Post management and others, Victoria returned the highest NO VOTE recorded over the last 3 EBA’s.
EBA9 VICTORIAN MEMBER SURVEYS AND FEEDBACK
Members were clear on the issues that were important:removing the Superannuation FAS freeze, ensuring ALL operational staff are paid equally, guaranteeing shift penalty rates and a decent pay rise fully built into your hourly rate. None of these were a part of EBA9 offer.
PAYROLL DEDUCTIONS
The support in other State branches for the EBA, would have been due in part to the issue of Payroll Deductions. A number of branches outside Victoria have a significant proportion of their membership on Payroll Deductions and any threats from Australia Post to remove such would have had influence.
At the end of EBA8 Australia Post removed Payroll Deductions from your Branch as payback because your branch did not support EBA8 (due in part to inadequate Superannuation guarantees) and although it was a hit at the time, with strong member support we recovered and Australia Post no longer have any access to membership details and can no longer threaten the finances of your Branch.
POOR NATIONAL CAMPAIGN
Victorians were disappointed at the less than whole-hearted campaign run by the national union office.
The first signs of the campaign going off the rails was an email from the Divisional Secretary to the head of HR on 26 October, 2016 setting 3 EBA negotiation meetings before Xmas and then suggesting “resuming in February some time.” So much for achieving a back to back Agreement!
We were also worried about the fact that the Victorian Secretary was excluding from a meeting about the wage offer with Ahmed Fahour on 25 January 2017.
The Victorian representatives tried to get the EBA campaign back on track at a meeting of the Divisional Executive held on March 30, 2017 by moving a motion directing the Divisional Secretary to take action in the Fair Work Commission to secure a Protected Industrial Action Ballot. This was supported unanimously! The Divisional Secretary took no action, and only stirred himself and the national office officials, to go out with management to Victorian workplaces to sell a Yes Vote!
WORK CONTINUES
Our fight to fully represent your issues goes on and campaigns such as “Keep me Posted” that advocate for outlawing charging for paper based bills and statements will continue.
We need decent care for injured workers and to stop the unequal treatment of 6.30am start posties. Full enforcement of EBA terms and conditions will as always be a top priority.
With other mailing industry Unions such as the AMWU and CFMEU PPW we will be seeking a meeting with the new CEO as soon as Christine Holgate moves into the role in October. We will be putting the case for returning Australia Post to the position of the world’s best postal service. We will also be raising the other issues that were not secured in EBA 9.
DIGNITY INTACT
Victorian members can hold their heads high for the fight you showed during the EBA campaign. You did not succumb to the biggest scare campaign ever waged on postal workers in this country and it is an honor and a privilege to represent you all.
TAX TIME
It’s that time of year again. Remember that your Union dues are tax deductible and you may also be able to claim a deduction for the difference between any meal allowances that you receive and the meal allowance rate that is set by the taxation office which is currently $29.40. Discuss this with your Tax agent/Accountant. Shop Stewards and HSR’s may also be able to claim extra deductions for our of pocket expenses if they are related to your employment. Again discuss this with your Tax agent/accountant.
APSS AND AWOTE FEDERAL COURT CASE
We still await the result from the Court Case about APSS and the indexation of Final Annual Salary by AWOTE against Fahour’s decision that has seen the Final Annual Salary (FAS) for 17,000 of 24,000 employees frozen. Your branch took action in the Federal court on behalf of Victorian members and the case was heard at the end of March. A verdict is due any day now.
Authorised: Leroy Lazaro, Branch Secretary
