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Water NSW – Reminder, CPSU NSW (PSA) members decided to VOTE NO

Water NSW – Reminder CPSU NSW (PSA) members decided to VOTE NO – December 2017 (PDF version)

The ballot for the non-union Water NSW ‘Unified’ Enterprise Agreement closes today at 5pm. Union members from CPSU NSW (PSA), Professionals Australia (Engineers), ASU (Sydney Catchment Authority) and AWU have all decided collectively to VOTE NO.

All staff are strongly encouraged to also VOTE NO as the unions believe this enterprise agreement is UNFAIR.

• Flextime accrual and use is subject to more management oversight, with some members reporting local managers intend to prevent any use of flextime.

• Base pay rises different for different staff, with some receiving one per cent and some two per cent. These pay rises are also based on performance, so if you are on a performance improvement plan, your salary in real terms will go backwards.

• Performance based progression with percetnage increases from an unclear amount to another unclear amount – very little transparency

• Performance bonus scheme – based on goals set by management, changeable by management, and will not add to your salary or super.

• Redundancy subject to changes by the NSW Government, where they can reduce or remove the severance payments provided

• Loss of retention period for redeployment from 12 months to three months.

Fair Work Commission Annual Wage Review – Application for Clarification

The submissions have all been provided to the Commission, and we are now waiting for a Decision. This will be done ‘on the papers’ so there no hearing scheduled, and a decision could be at any time.

You can see the CPSU NSW (PSA) application HERE.

Correspondence from Water NSW HERE.

First Submission from CPSU NSW (PSA ) HERE.

Submission from the ASU HERE.

First submission from the ACTU HERE.

Submission from Water NSW HERE.

Correspondence from Water NSW regarding error in Submission HERE.

Submission in reply from the CPSU NSW (PSA) HERE.

Submission in reply from the ACTU HERE.

The union is confident the Commission will confirm our application, and provide the full 3.3 per cent pay rise to employees on state copied instruments including those from DPI Water and SCA. Water NSW sought to argue that this would be ‘double dipping’. Getting a pay rise on 1 July one year, and having a second pay rise provided on 1 July the next year is not ‘double dipping’ in the unions’ view.

The point of passing on the Annual Wage Review decision is to provide a pay rise on 1 July when a pay rise was provided on 1 July the previous year or earlier. Where a pay rise is provided between 12 months and six months ago, then half the pay rise is passed on, and if a pay rise is provided in the last six months, then the current year’s pay rise is not passed on.

CPSU NSW, the ACTU and ASU have strong arguments in favour of clarifying the decision to ensure the full 3.3 per cent is passed on to former DPI Water and SCA employees. We are confident that the decision should be made in the near future, in our favour.

If employees VOTE NO for the proposed non-union agreement, the CPSU NSW (PSA) will be demanding from Water NSW that the Commission’s Decision to correct the error and ensure the full 3.3 per cent is provided for will also be provided to employees on the State Water Corp enterprise agreement.

This will be strongly resisted by Water NSW and we will need members’ support to pressure Water NSW to do the right thing and pass the 3.3 per cent on to all employees.

Please forward this update to your colleagues so they know what is going on.

Ask your colleagues to JOIN the CPSU NSW (PSA) HERE.

Members can view the latest Union updates at http://psa.asn.au/state-owned-corps-water-nsw/.