Flexible Work Arrangements is a Two Way Street – June 2021 (pdf version)
After two CPSU NSW member meetings and three Joint Consultative Committee (JCC) meetings regarding pre COVID 19 “Flexible Working Arrangements” Coal Services senior management continue to ignore your requests to return to the previous arrangements in each regional location.
The Flexible Working Arrangements were placed on hold when members were requested to work from home and due to this being the first ever work from home arrange put in place, members were prepared to allow the hold to be put in place and show their flexibility by continuing to assist Coal Services to run smoothly and seamlessly as a business in this precedent time in history.
The CPSU NSW has advocated to Coal Services that Coal Mines Insurance (CMI) staff have gone above and beyond their normal day to day duties ever since management requested employees to work from home in early 2020. Members have advised they worked excessive hours without recognition, increased their workload to almost breaking point to get the job done all with the removal of previous Flexible Working Arrangements and at no extra cost to Coal Services.
Now upon returning back to the office earlier this year CMI management now have moved the goalposts and are not prepared to revert back to the pre COVID 19 Flexible Working Arrangements but instead are trying to introduce a one size fits all 19 day month without any recognition of all the additional hours and additional work completed whilst working from home.
Members and management are well aware that vacancies exist in all regions and now the expectation is that existing staff will pick up the shortfall by increasing caseloads and having to work additional hours that are not being recognised nor compensated for, just to get the job done. How disrespected do you feel?
Members at meetings expressed that they have had enough of the excessive workload, the lack of filling vacancies in a timely manner and having to work excessive additional hours just to get the job done. It is now time to call out “Enough is Enough” and withdraw the good will by only working for what you get paid and compensated for. CMI your “Free Ride” is over!
CPSU NSW hereby directs its members to cease working any additional hours and abide by clause 26.1 of the current EBA by only working 7.25 hours per day/72.5 hours per fortnight. CPSU NSW understands your commitment to Coal Services but it is all a “One Way Street” so refrain from working any newly proposed Flexible Working Arrangements they put on offer. Until management recognise your worth and efforts, withdraw the free labor and make senior management fully aware what additional work has been done all by your good will.
CPSU NSW was not consulted by Coal Services in line with clause 32.9 prior to any change taking place and will be raising this at an extra ordinary Joint Consultative Committee meeting on
17 June 2021 before considering a dispute notification in line with clause 6.0.
Coal Services are not adhering to clause 6.6 (a) of the Enterprise Agreement allowing employees to continue to perform work as he or she would normally whilst the dispute is attempted to be resolved.
If any member has pressure applied to them to work additional hours or the attempt to force you into the newly proposed changed Flexible Working Arrangement contact Regional Organiser Ian Braithwaite on 0400 859 630 or as a matter of urgency.
A further report back to members will take place post the Joint Consultative Committee meeting next week.
