ARTC NSW Infrastructure Enterprise Agreement Negotiations 2016 Have Begun
Bulletin 46 – 2016
To: All RTBU ARTC Infrastructure Maintenance Members,
Negotiations for your new Enterprise Agreement have begun. The RTBU and your elected representatives met with the ARTC management team on Tuesday, the 1st November 2016.
This was the second meeting held between ARTC and the RTBU, with the purpose being the presentation of both parties Log of Claims. RTBU members around ARTC returned a large number of surveys to have their say in what they would like in their new Agreement.
RTBU member’s Log of Claims are as follows;
- A 4.0% increase pay rise including allowances and expenses per annum, effective from the 25th September 2016;
- Proposal that the Agreement will have a 3 year term;
- Improvements to the Competency based structure;
- Introduction of Scheduled Career Progression over a 24 month period;
- Improvements on access to training and assessments;
- Increase to employer superannuation contributions;
- Enforcement of current consultation clause (7.2.2) and introduction of Local Consultative Committees (LCC);
- Carer’s leave to be separate too sick leave
- Introduction of Domestic Violence leave
- Reformatting the Enterprise Agreement away from a Q&A format
ARTC’s Log of Claims are as follows;
- That the Agreement is consistent with the Australian Public Sector Workplace Bargaining Policy 2015, and the economic conditions that ARTC currently operate in;
- Maintain the existing provisions of the ARTC (NSW) Infrastructure Maintenance Enterprise Agreement 2014 excluding salary increases;
- To undertake a review of current clause 2.6 – Rostering;
- Any agreed changes to existing conditions within the Agreement are to be offset by reductions in existing entitlements or through additional identified cost savings and or productivity improvements;
- Proposal that the Agreement will have a 3 year term.
The Australian Public Sector Workplace Bargaining Policy 2015 that ARTC has proposed that these negotiations are governed by, have quite a number of limitations on what organisations who are covered by it are allowed to offer.
This includes items such as a pay rise cap of up to 2.0% per annum.
This policy played a major role in the outcome of the most recent Enterprise Agreement negotiated with ARTC.
To make sure all members are well informed of the threat that this policy presents to these negotiations, I have attached the policy to the email along with this bulletin so you can review it in its entirety.
I have also attached a copy of ARTC’s Log of Claims and RTBU member’s Log of Claims presented at the meeting held on Tuesday, 1st November 2016.
We want to ensure that all members are notified of any and all information throughout these negotiations. If you have not updated your current contact information (Email address, mobile, home postal address etc.) with the RTBU, I urge you to contact me via email on lhayden@rtbu-nsw.asn.au to update your details.
These negotiations have the potential to be long and extremely difficult. Your elected representatives at the table require your unity and support in what is shaping up to be a difficult road ahead.
If you are not a union member, now is the time, more than ever to join your union and stand together in support of each other. If you would like to join your union, please contact me on the above email address for a union membership application.
Issued by: | Authorised by: |
Luke Hayden
Organiser |
Alex Claassens
Branch Secretary |