News

Mother Nature delays negotiations.

Your CPSU representatives, other Unions and a couple of the independent representatives met with a new National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) delegation to recommence enterprise bargaining following the rejection of the proposed on-roads agreement last year.

The plan had been to lock-in for two straight days at NHVR Head Office and resolve the impasse.

Unfortunately Mother Nature intervened in the form of Cyclone Alfred which meant the second day of negotiations could not proceed as planned.

Not all was lost however, as your Union made strong submissions to NHVR as to why the proposed agreement was rejected based on your feedback. Those reasons included:

• The inadequate salary offer, which could be improved in a number of ways including through backpay;
• The failure by NHVR to preserve or extend the best inherited redundancy formula, and in doing so exacerbating concerns about job security;
• The disappearance of the additional week of annual leave for both remote regional areas and rotating shifts;
• The removal of the mechanical qualification and SCOM position;
• The abolition of the laundry allowance;
• The weakened delegate rights clause that would lead to disputation; and,
• The definition and application of shift work which had some alarming consequences across the organisation.

NHVR undertook to consider this feedback and return with some suggestions. The CPSU will press for the first available date to reconvene and get this matter sorted.

All CPSU members thoughts are with our Queensland and Northern NSW comrades at this dangerous time.  While we hope Alfred blows through without serious incident, we also wish that the winds of change afoot in the attitude of your employer remain to aid us find a positive outcome.

Know someone who isn’t a member?  There has never been a more important time to be part of one collective voice!

For NSW employees visit: www.cpsunsw.org.au/join

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