Members were previously advised by the CPSU NSW that Forestry Corporation NSW (FCNSW) had taken the ultimate step to stop bargaining and had opened the proposed FCNSW Enterprise Agreement to staff for an access period of two weeks. FCNSW didn’t even let the unions know when the meetings scheduled with staff about the agreement were to take place until the last minute. The result was that CPSU NSW involvement at those meetings would have been dramatically constrained.
However, after a weekend of robust conversations with the Minister responsible from the NSW Government, their advisors, and Unions NSW (the peak body for unions in NSW working on behalf of both the CPSU NSW and AWU NSW) regarding the premature nature of the EA re-drafting, there has been a breakthrough.
After crisis talks over the direction of the FCNSW EA negotiations came to a head, FCNSW has agreed to a process with the AWU and CPSU NSW where they will suspend the access period and come back to the table regarding the issues with respect to the re-drafting of the FCNSW EA.
Make no mistake, this was also because of the general pushback from the FCNSW workforce at the deficient state of the proposed EA and a very quick realisation that in its current state the vote would have been an overwhelming NO.
What Does That Mean?
FCNSW will pause the access period for the CPSU NSW and AWU NSW to finalise drafting of the FCNSW Enterprise Agreement in a manner that deals with our issues with respect to the clauses and their interpretations. Further proposed face-to-face briefings of staff scheduled for this week (without the direct involvement of the respective unions) will be cancelled.
FCNSW accepts that decisions to cease bargaining without agreement on the outstanding clauses was premature, not in good faith and not in the interest of finalising the EA document.
The CPSU NSW and the AWU NSW have been given guarantees from the FCNSW CEO that sufficient time will be provided for those discussions to take place.
I’ve Read the FCNSW and I Have Concerns About Some Clauses
Good. So does the CPSU NSW and your bargaining representatives.
Put them in writing, speak to your bargaining representatives or the CPSU NSW Industrial Officer Shane Howes .
Once Completed Does That Mean That the CPSU NSW will Endorse the FCNSW EA?
No. If the offer of salaries and EA duration does not change, the CPSU NSW cannot in good faith endorse the FCNSW EA to its membership. We’re not agreeing to our members’ pay going backwards. We’re also not letting the NSW Government wash its hands of public sector workers and hide behind the state-owned corporation status.
Will it still go out to ballot?
Yes, eventually. While the false start is disruptive, the CPSU NSW and bargaining representatives make no apologies for calling out the deficiencies in the proposed FCNSW EA.
Encourage your colleagues to join
Now more than ever it is important to be part of the union. The CPSU NSW is working hard more members and being part of a strong and growing union is the only way we can win.
Your CPSU NSW Bargaining Representatives
