Last week the CPSU NSW wrote to members advising you to vote no to the proposed Forestry Corporation NSW Enterprise Agreement (FCNSW EA) because it is deficient for several reasons and would not be endorsed by the union or our delegates.
Why?
Number 1: Forestry Corp want you to accept an unfair pay-cut in a cost-of-living crisis.
Number 2: Forestry Corp want you to accept an unfair pay-cut in a cost-of-living crisis.
Number 3: Forestry Corp want you to accept an unfair pay-cut in a cost of living crisis.
So How Did We Get Here?
The FCNSW Enterprise Agreement ran out in 2020 and since that time, salary increases have been undertaken by administrative action. The EA negotiations started under the interests-based approach and a different Government policy. They have now transitioned to the NSW Government Fair Pay and Bargaining Policy 2023.
Early conversations between FCNSW and the unions on salary increases were much lower than the current offer, that is only a portion of the NSW Government Wages offer.
In their yearly Annual Reports, FCNSW boasts about paying in accordance with NSW Government Wages policy. This time around FCNSW promised to pay NSW Government Wages policy and then backflipped.
Now the NSW Labor Government has provided its offer of 10.5% over three years to all public sector unions. This hasn’t been accepted by the various union groups including the Nurses, Doctors, Ambulance, Police, Firies, AWU, PSA or CPSU NSW.
Make no mistake, the current offer of 10.5% (inclusive of superannuation increases) over three years will see your real wages going backwards. FCNSW have already reported to unions that they are having difficulty in recruiting and retaining staff. It’s really no wonder why!
What About Inflation & CPI?
Australian Bureau of Statistics inflation figures have remained stubbornly high despite Treasury forecasts for falls. Finally, Treasury has now stopped with optimistic forecasts of sunshine and lollypops and identified that inflation isn’t going down any time soon.
In the March 2024 quarter alone, inflation rose by 3.6% eating into almost all the current year agreement. Hot off the press, the June 2024 quarter was 1% worse compounding that deficiency with the yearly headline figure of 3.8%.
Now let’s look at CPI:
Recent reports of further interest rate rises because of stubborn inflationary pressures have the potential to have large effects on mortgage holders as well as renters. Regional NSW isn’t immune and is in fact more sensitive to interest rate increases.
FCNSW members took a pay cut in 2021. FCNSW members took a huge pay cut in 2022. FCNSW members hardly broke even in 2023 (which would have been worse under the previous LNP Government’s policies) and now FCNSW is expecting their staff to take another pay cut for the next three years.
That is simply unfair.
What About Other Public Sector Agreements?
Let’s put the FCNSW offer in some context for you as a public sector worker, you are the ones who provide the timber for the NSW Government Housing Plan as well as critical community protection by mitigating bushfire risks. Here are some examples of other CPSU NSW Agreements.
When you see the examples, FCNSW staff should be rightfully upset that they have been so undervalued. You can also see what agreement were struck when inflation and cost of living pressures has not spiked.
What About the Financial Position of FCNSW?
We get it – the last few years for FCSNW have been difficult, with fires, floods and the pandemic impacting the timber industry. This doesn’t even take into consideration operational concerns surrounding the creation of the Great Koala Park or the legal challenges and protests in native hardwood forests.
The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) can employ a Deputy Director General, a Chief Executive Officer and a Board to administer FCNSW. It’s a multimillion-dollar enterprise administering and managing the roll out of significant policies of the current Government. How come they can afford to employ more bosses but not offer staff a pay rise that keeps pace with inflation?
Let’s be real here. We know the reasons why FCNSW became a State Owned Corporation – and it was so the previous LNP Government could flog it off. NSW Labor can’t just sit on their hands, hide behind the veil of the Corporation, and not support FCNSW to pay fair and decent wages to their staff.
This isn’t about unions being greedy, it’s about being able to attract and retain qualified and experienced staff to produce high quality timber and to provide bushfire mitigation for community safety.
What Happens if I Vote NO?
FCNSW is forced to come back to the table and, in good faith, negotiate with staff and their unions. If this happens, our focus will be on securing a fair pay rise and better conditions.
But What About Backpay?
Backpay is a claim made by the unions but like all EA negotiations it is not guaranteed. It will continue to be a key claim for the CPSU NSW.
The threat of losing your backpay shouldn’t be used as a bargaining tool to threaten Forestry Corp staff into voting up an agreement that is not in their best interests.
What Does The CPSU Want me to do?
Vote NO on the agreement in its current form.
Speak to your colleagues, especially those ones who aren’t union members, and encourage them to Vote NO and join the CPSU NSW.
Stay tuned for the next instalment of why the CPSU NSW is recommending a NO Vote.
