News

Friday, 2 June 2023

Parklea conciliation update


Members may be aware that your union, the CPSU NSW, appeared yesterday in the Fair Work Commission regarding your Enterprise Agreement negotiations.

The appearance was after an application by us on your behalf to have the Commission attempt to assist us find a compromise (conciliation).

After hearing from both us and MTC, the Commissioner came back with a relatively unambitious offer that we advised we would have to put to members to be considered.

That offer will be put in a Survey Monkey that all members will receive on Monday. We would appreciate you voting in volume and as quickly as possible to provide us with some guidance.

What is the “offer”?

  1. The Agreement is again put to ballot of all staff on the same terms as it was in March 2023;
  2. The parties then run a case (arbitration) for a binding decision from the Commission on the difference in the salary cases, but this decision is limited to being at the highest what we seek; and,
  3. The agreement is otherwise unchanged and unchallengeable.

What would voting YES and accepting the offer mean?

  • You would be guaranteed 3.25 per cent salary increase in Year 1, 3.15 per cent in Year 2 and 3 per cent in Year 3 as per previous rejected offers from MTC;
  • You would be guaranteed a $1500 sign-on bonus as per the previous rejected offer from MTC;
  • There would be no right for industrial staff from your union to attend the Joint Workplace Consultative Committee (JWCC) to raise issues such as staffing and safety, as this clause would be unchanged;
  • The CPSU NSW would then run a case in the Commission to possibly win up to an additional 0.1 per cent (Y2) and 0.25 per cent (Y3) salary increases, which is what you have steadfastly demanded, and up to an additional $500 in the sign-on bonus (again, what you have steadfastly demanded).

What would voting NO and refusing the offer mean?

  • The CPSU NSW could return to the Fair Work Commission for further conciliation on both points;
  • The CPSU NSW could invite other parties such as Corrective Services NSW to participate in this conciliation in an attempt to break the deadlock;
  • Should this conciliation fail, the CPSU NSW could then run a case in the Commission under new powers which come into force next week to have the whole agreement, including salary increases and the JWCC, arbitrated.

As an aside, we note that the Fair Work Commission today awarded increases to the minimum wage of 5.75 per cent.

For further inquiries please do not hesitate to contact the CPSU NSW via the Member Support Centre on 1300 772 679 or your organiser Kim Villanti direct on