Postal
Negotiations finalised: Agreement reached
(28 July 2010) The CEPU is pleased to announce that negotiations have been finalised and an ‘in-principle’ Agreement has been reached and endorsed by the CEPU executive for a new ‘Australia Post Fair Work Agreement’ (APFWA).
This outcome follows a successful EBA7 campaign and a commitment earlier this year by all parties with the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), which has led to meaningful and genuine negotiations to finalise the agreement.
This demonstrates a significant milestone: with an environment now for Australia Post, its employees and their Union to move forward, working together to provide protection for important employment conditions with an additional pay increase and provides the necessary stability required for the postal business to help generate greater job security for all employees.
Features contained in the new APFWA
The APFWA is a legal document covering all aspects of employment at Australia Post. Its key features include:
- Pay – pay increases of up to 10 per cent over three years – which is the equivalent to an average of 3.33% increase in pay each year. Of the overall 10% pay increase a 2% pay increase will be made on first pay period after 1 August 2010 (being 18 August), along with another 2% pay increase in December 2010.
- Dispute Resolution and Arbitration – A new dispute resolution procedure that provides for conciliation, mediation and arbitration as a last resort on all matters within the agreement.
- Maximising full time employment – full-time employment will be recognised as a preferred employment arrangement in the workplace as against what has occurred with past management preference for creating part time employment that has led to full time job splitting. The parties will work on job redesign projects to help make this a reality.
- Job security – The RRR process, operating since 1995, will be honoured without change but with a bigger focus on retraining, redeployment and voluntary redundancy when managing positions surplus to requirements.
- Shift penalty rates – Shift penalty rates are recognised as an important part of employees’ take home pay. A commitment to maintaining shift penalty rates for existing employees, with any changes to shift times affecting shift penalty rates requiring consultation by all parties at a very senior state level.
- Cashing out of annual leave – employees who have accumulated more than 30 days leave (6 weeks) or 20 days (4 weeks) for shift workers will be able to voluntarily “cash out” this entitlement once a year.
- New OH&S agreement – A new OH&S agreement with a greater focus on workplace safety, finalised within 12 months.
- Management of sick and injured workers – Agreed procedures will be introduced for the safe return to work of sick and injured workers, with a focus on family doctors to treat and manage sick and injured employees.
- Flexible workplace arrangements – strengthening of flexible work hours – including requests for caring for a child, transitioning to retirement, maternity and parental leave.
- Maternity leave – a one-week increase in maternity leave from 13 weeks to 14 weeks.
- Uniforms – a new national committee established to review and have employees and their Union representatives input on any uniform and protective clothing changes as well as the commitment for establishing workplace focus groups to obtain employee feedback on changes prior to and after implementation of change.
- Agreement duration - the APFWA is a three-year deal commencing on 1 August 2010.
CEPU Executive endorses new APFWA ‘in principle’ and recommends members’ acceptance
The following decision of the CEPU Divisional (National) Executive was taken on 23 July 2010
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“Following extensive negotiations, Divisional Executive resolves to endorse on an ‘in principle’ basis the proposed Australia Post Fair Work Agreement 2010 (APFWA) (copies of which have been circulated to members of Divisional Executive prior to this meeting conducted by telephone) subject to all documentation associated with the APFWA being finalised prior to affected Australia Post members being provided the opportunity to consider and approve the APFWA.Divisional Executive further resolves that the terms of the proposed APFWA provide for fair and reasonable protections of employment and workplace conditions, including access to additional remuneration benefits not to mention certainty in respect of job security.This decision is conditioned on the commitment from Australia Post to enter into sensible and genuine consultation processes that ensures affected Australia Post employees covered by the proposed APFWA are jointly briefed to the terms and conditions of the APFWA with the involvement of nominated representatives of the CEPU.” |
Where to from here?
By law, a majority of employees covered by the new APFWA will have to vote to accept the agreement in order to be certified by Fair Work Australia.
Consultation arrangement plans are now under way where all employees covered by the APFWA will receive a copy of the document. The consultation process will also include briefings involving the Union. This will enable members to clarify any matter within the new APFWA with their representatives.
An APFWA was only possible by Union members advancing their claims
The Union takes this opportunity in thanking the many thousands of members who participated in the campaign to secure a new APFWA.
A new APFWA would not have been possible if it wasn’t for the courage and willingness of the thousands of Union members stepping up to the plate in advancing their claims for securing a new APFWA and their rights at work.
This truly represents the value of Australia Post employees being members of a strong and influential Union in the workplace.
The CEPU will keep members informed of the timetable for consultation, briefings and the final voting process shortly. If you have any further enquiries, contact the union via feedback@cepu.asn.au