The CPSU NSW enterprise bargaining team met again with Northcott on 23 November to outline a number of measures designed to deliver equitable outcomes for the company’s Disability Services Workforce (DW) and prevent big cuts in pay.
In relation to current DSW employees, the CPSU NSW has put formally to Northcott that where the copied State Award contains higher salary than the transition rate under the proposed Enterprise Agreement, then the greater salary rate will apply. The CPSU NSW also seeks annual salary increases of 1.5 per cent, subject to a range of other factors.
The CPSU NSW wants to maintain existing entitlements for 35-hour/week employees in the classifications of Service Co-ordinator, Rostering Support and Service Manager.
At the time of writing, Northcott is yet to respond. In addition, virtually all of the CPSU NSW’s other claims are unmet. The table summarises some of the most important of these:
| CPSU NSW claim/position | Agreed | Not agreed |
| Salaries to be no less that the copied State award. |
X |
|
| Overtime to be payable after eight hours. |
X |
|
| Shift allowances to be the same as the copied State award. |
X |
|
| Maintenance of a rostered day off for full time staff. |
X |
|
| Retaining the public service public holiday from the copied State award. |
X |
|
| Maintenance of minimum eight- or 10-hour shift for full-time staff. |
X |
|
| Retaining the ability to choose to receive extra leave for working public holidays instead of penalty rates. |
X |
|
| Maintenance of the rostering principles . |
X |
|
| No unpaid meal breaks. |
X |
|
| Inclusion of a process for the management of performance and misconduct. |
X |
|
| Inclusion of meal allowance as per the copied State award. |
X |
There is no date set for a further formal meeting with all bargaining representatives. Northcott has stated it will be in touch with individual unions in order to reach agreement on outstanding issues. Last week Northcott advised the unions that its timetable was to close out any outstanding issues subsequent to Monday 23 November, in order to send out the proposed agreement for employees to consider (the access period) during the week commencing 30 November 2020, with a ballot commencing 8 December. The CPSU NSW does not know Northcott’s current intentions.
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www.cpsunsw.org.au
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