Forestry Corporation enterprise agreement negotiations PSA update #2 – 22 May 2015 (PDF version)
Your PSA Bargaining Team of experienced delegates and professional industrial staff met management, along with representatives of the other unions.
This has been rejected.
The PSA maintains any negotiations must include all staff at Levels 1-8. This will maintain coverage of all PSA members as is the current situation.
Management have provided no benefit for this proposed change and there is NO advantage for staff who will under this proposal have access to current conditions and entitlement.
MEMBERS OF STAFF AT LEVELS 7&8 SHOULD NOT SIGN THESE CONTRACTS AND REQUEST THEM BACK IF THEY HAVE SIGNED. STAFF EMPLOYED AT LEVELS 7&8 ARE STILL COVERED BY THE CURRENT AGREEMENT.
Management continue to insist that negotiations on wages only include an offer of 2.5% and 1.5% pay increase for a two year agreement.
The unions have collectively rejected this.
The PSA has insisted as the current offer for Public Sector staff is 2.5% the same offer should be made by Forestry Corporation. This is in line with current Government wages policy.
For the duration of the EA 2.5% per annum should be the pay increase.
Management continue to insist negotiations should include reductions and or removal of current allowances.
The PSA opposes this proposal.
The PSA rejects this premise and the proposal to remove this allowance.
The PSA confirmed the position that if management propose this, it will ONLY be considered on a basis of:
The PSA and FC are now close to final agreement on a simplified version of the Fire Fighting overtime provisions. Management say there will be a gain overall to employees. The detail of their proposal is being reviewed so that we can guarantee there is no disadvantage to members. FC will achieve certain efficiencies if the arrangements are implemented.
The PSA has, through its delegates, highlighted members concerns of:
The PSA proposed a clause be inserted to the EA requiring management and the unions have in place by six months of the signing of the agreement, an agreed system to apply the clause 21.2 Salary Progression.
Whilst Management have proposed moving all 35 hour people to 38 hour weeks, this will not work for all members. PSA have indicated members need the right to maintain current week maximums and all flexible working hours conditions
The PSA indicated this concern, but no changes have yet been proposed by management.
The PSA is closely checking the current and proposed arrangements and will be shortly looking forward to engaging a wider review of these from the membership to ensure nothing has been missed or overlooked.
The PSA insists the agreement must include Levels 1-8.
At the meeting held on Monday 18 May, FC were unable to respond to the PSA insistence that current Salaries and Conditions must be maintained. The PSA is concerned the parties are too far apart to finalise negotiations at this time. The parties must continue to negotiate.
At this meeting, the AWU official left the meeting insisting they wished to withdraw from joint negotiations and conduct their own negotiations for an agreement to cover field based staff.
The PSA sought to ensure any negotiations with the AWU would not negatively impact on PSA members. See PSA email to FC Management HERE.
A letter was sent to FC requesting assurances no further discussions will take place in the negotiation of the enterprise agreement without the presence of the PSA. You can read a copy of that letter HERE.
No response has been received at this time.
Kerrie Butson and James Shaw
On behalf of your PSA Bargaining Team and Dept Committee