TransGrid agreement to vote – November 2017 (PDF version)
The TransGrid enterprise agreement has now gone to vote, with the ballot closing midnight Thursday 30 November 2017.
Unions have been negotiating with TransGrid for about 15 months. This bulletin reminds members this decision is an important one to make, so please consider it seriously and remember to vote so that you can have your say. We encourage members to weigh up the positives and negatives of the agreement.
The pay offer is two per cent increase on a “yes” vote, two per cent payable on approval by the Fair Work Commission, two per cent in December of 2018, and a final two per cent in December of 2019. Domestic Violence Leave will be increased from five days to 10 (TransGrid advised this is already being applied).
The biggest negative of this deal is that Individual Employment Agreements (IEAs) remain a key feature of the agreement, with the expansion to pay-point 30 to 34. It is important you are aware that the proposal for 30-34 includes reversion rights for 18 months only. This means that if you don’t revert after 18 months you are stuck on an IEA and you will lose conditions of employment including the nine-day fortnight, 15 per cent super and overtime rights after that 18 months’ point if you don’t revert.
The CPSU NSW again voiced concerns at the last bargaining meeting about the legally questionable nature of IEAs. At this point in time they remain untested and if this agreement is approved it will be up to the Fair Work Commission to determine whether the agreement can be approved.
The CPSU NSW notes that there is a risk here – we don’t know which way the Commission may go on IEAs so there is legal uncertainty about this issue if there is a majority yes vote.
The CPSU NSW is reminding members to think hard about whether you agree with this deal before casting a vote. Remember this agreement goes until December 2020.
It is your vote, your choice.
If you have any questions please contact your Industrial officer Vera Babicheva on .
