News

WaterNSW Enterprise Agreement: Update and endorsement

You were recently advised by CPSU NSW of the timetable for the approval of a replacement Enterprise Agreement, the WaterNSW Enterprise Agreement 2023. See previous Bulletin HERE.

THE CPSU NSW has been advised that WaterNSW has prepared the documentation for the access period in accordance with the formal approval process which occurs prior to the ballot seeking the approval of all employees to the Agreement and its submission to the Fair Work Commission. You will be receiving or will now have received from WaterNSW documentation regarding the proposed Agreement for you to consider prior to your formal vote in the ballot to be held in accordance with the previously advised timetable, from the 25 to 29 September 2023.

As part of the CPSU NSW’s internal processes, the CPSU NSW invites its members to  endorse the  proposed Agreement by completing the Survey Monkey HERE.

Please note that this endorsement is not a vote for the Agreement in accordance with the provisions of the Fair Work Act as described above.

About the proposed Agreement

As part of the Joint Bargaining Group, the CPSU NSW agreed as part of Interest Based Bargaining to focus on the term of the Agreement and the quantum of salary increases in negotiations.

As previously advised the main terms of the new Agreement therefore include:

• A three-year Agreement.
• An increase of 4 per cent to base rates of pay and a 0.5 per cent increase to superannuation in each year of the Agreement.
• Back pay to 1 July 2023.
• No change to the current Performance Pay arrangements, with a payment of up to a maximum of 3.4 per cent each year. Performance Pay measures and targets will continue to be determined on an annual basis in consultation with the Peak Consultative Group.

No conditions or entitlements have been lost.

In addition to minor updating of references and titles, other changes to the Agreement include:

• the incorporation of the terms of the undertakings made to the FWC by WaterNSW about jury service payments [5 (a) (1) (A)] and notice periods [3.9 (d)] Identified when the WaterNSW Enterprise Agreement 2022 was approved, and which WaterNSW has been applying during the life of the Agreement.
• updates to the parental leave provisions which remove the identification of a primary carer and extend access to leave in certain circumstances not involving a live birth, and to fertility leave. These reflect changes in the Public Sector generally and have been applied by WaterNSW since these were introduced during the life of the current Agreement [5.10;5.12;5.13].
• improvements to the amount of and access to Domestic and Family Violence leave for permanent and casual staff [5.17], and
• the option to substitute another Public Holiday for Australia Day [3.10 (a) (i)].

A full copy of the proposed WaterNSW Enterprise Agreement 2023 is attached HERE.

Please complete the CPSU NSW SurveyMonkey by COB on Monday 25 September 2023.