News

Thursday, 20 April 2017

Forestry Corp NSW Individual contract for Level 6 employees


Forestry Corp NSW individual contract for Level 6 employees – 20 April 2017 (PDF Version)

The proposal to remove Level 6 employees from the next enterprise agreement remains completely unacceptable to the PSA (CPSU) and your union will be doing everything we can to fight this.

Please note, the proposed individual contracts Forestry Corporation is asking you to sign is likely to have major negative impacts on your future take-home pay and workplace entitlements, even if a new enterprise agreement applies as well.
The PSA (CPSU) does not believe that the “incentive” of a sign on bonus will compensate members for the ongoing impact these contracts will have.

The PSA (CPSU) strongly recommends all Level 6 employees do not sign the proposed contract.

Forestry Corporation has included a clause in the contract which would void all your entitlements under any future enterprise agreement or the modern award.

The individual contract requires that the salary is inclusive of all “overtime, loadings, allowances [and] penalty rates” that you get under any instrument, being the modern award or a future enterprise agreement.

If you sign the individual contract, you will sign away rights to:

  • Travel allowances
  • Overtime
  • Penalty rates
  • Some or your paid leave, including: primary carer’s leave; military leave; jury service leave; Community service leave; trade union training leave; religious or cultural leave
  • Be consulted over any proposed workplace changes
  • Rostered days off
  • All other allowances in the agreement or modern award.

While many of these conditions are currently granted to staff on individual contracts as a matter of policy, all the policy documents you are being asked to accept are either a) draft or b) subject to review before 31 July 2017. There is no guarantee that these conditions will not be retracted when the policies are reviewed. There is no guarantee that you will gain any improved conditions your union is able to win under a future EA.)

Forestry Corporation will not agree to a clause in the agreement that stops it from extending individual contracts further to Levels 5 and below next time either.

This means we will need to apply to the Fair Work Commission for a Scope Order.

The PSA (CPSU) has consulted with members and delegates and; has engaged lawyers who have prepared our Scope Orders application. The Union is getting ready to file with the Fair Work Commission next week.

All PSA (CPSU) members are asked to help our fight against stripping conditions and employment protections from Forestry Corporation employees. Please ask your colleagues to join the PSA (CPSU) and be ready to vote down any enterprise agreement that doesn’t include our Level 6 colleagues.

If you have any further questions or comments please feel free to email your PSA (CPSU) Bargaining team:

Julian Armstrong

Stephen Campbell

Railee White

Nigel Fuller

Dimitrios Katelas

Rob Kirwood

Cassie Giudice (PSA (CPSU) Industrial Officer)

Lisa Nelson (PSA (CPSU) Senior Organiser)

It’s important that Forestry Corporation employees are part of the PSA (CPSU) to ensure that we can get the best outcome for our members. Please ask your colleagues to join the PSA (CPSU) online HERE.