CWU T&S WEEKLY BULLETIN NO 2020 / 30
2 August 2020
POST SPF MEDIATION
On Wednesday, we attended a mediation at Post Chullora. It was conducted by former FWC Commissioner Roe. Despite our pessimism, a recommendation was worked out which we recommend. We will provide a consolidated document through the week. The recommendation was:
1. As part of the disputes settlement procedure the parties agreed to mediation of the dispute concerning the fair and transparent allocation of overtime for technicians at the facility under the new shift arrangements.
2. The mediation was conducted on 30 July 2020. The mediator made a recommendation which was accepted by both parties as the resolution of the dispute. The recommendation is as follows.
3. The Technician Overtime Guidelines dated 13 May 2020 will be amended as follows:
SPF-SGF TECHNICIAN OVERTIME GUIDELINES DISPUTE 30 JULY 2020
a. Point 2 will be amended by deleting "from the relevant team" and replacing it with "for technicians across the facility subject to point 8; point 10; and that there is no requirement for Australia Post to offer overtime which would involve the person moving off their rostered shift. "
b. Add to point 8. "However, where there are insufficient acceptances from staff present at work Australia Post may ring employees at home (based on the tally list order). Ringing employees at home will only count as an offer if the employee actually accepts or refuses. "
c. Point 10 add "Where the tally list has not been utilised to offer overtime because of this point this will be recorded on the notice board weekly updated offer list."
d. Replace point 4 with the following: "Data on the actual overtime worked by each individual technician and team leader will be provided in a list which will be updated at least fortnightly and available to each team and to the JCC."
e. There will be a review by the parties of the extent to which the guidelines are operating to allocate overtime in a fair and transparent manner after six months.
f. Team leaders will be included on tally lists noting that Australia Post generally only offers overtime to team leaders for team leader work and that overtime is rostered in team leader's rosters. The union notes that nothing precludes Australia Post from requesting team leaders to work overtime as technicians if required.
SUPERANNUATION PT 7
Super works. We have reported previously the performance of super accumulation funds. There were very large gains in the past 12 months, mainly because of the share markets in Australia and overseas. We tracked a real fund over the past 12 years and reported only a very small loss in the 12 months to June 2020. That industry (union) fund has now reported a positive return of 0.22% for the Balanced (MySuper) option for the 2019/20 financial year. This is despite the challenging circumstances that the COVID-19 pandemic has created for financial markets and the global economy in recent times.
More importantly, the long-term returns for our Balanced option remain strong at 8.43% each year over 10 years for super members.
POST - 7 DAY DELIVERY BEING RAISED
Extracts from the SMH:
Posties and contractors have been delivering packages on Saturdays and Sundays since mid-April after Australia's enthusiasm for online shopping during lockdown drove volumes to Christmas-like levels.
Post looks at delivering seven days a week as online demand breaks records. Seven-day delivery could become commonplace in the next few years, according to a senior Australia Post executive, as a COVID-induced online shopping boom means consumers become accustomed to receiving parcels on the weekend. Gary Starr, Australia Post's executive general manager for business, government and international, told The Sydney Morning Herald weekend deliveries would likely become a reality in years to come as the postal service looks to ways to keep up with heightened e-commerce demand.
POST PARCELS UP
Last week was Victoria's biggest-ever week for online shopping in history, with purchases up 161 per cent when compared to the same week last year. Figures were also elevated in Sydney (up 73%). Across the country, volumes are up 90%, meaning the week was "very close" to the biggest-ever nationally, Mr Starr said.
Post has also set up 16 pop-up parcel sorting facilities across the country to help deal with the heightened demand, along with chartering a number of additional planes with Qantas to facilitate the huge influx of parcels. If volumes continue to be elevated, Mr Starr expects some of the pop-up sites to be converted into permanent sites to help fulfil demand.
But despite a bumper year for parcels, the executive says the government-owned company's full-year numbers are likely to be "modest" as the postal service weathers a continual decline in letter volumes, which led Post to begin delivering letters every second day in metropolitan areas. Increased costs will also be incurred for bringing the 16 pop-up sites online, as well as the hiring of additional aircraft and the implementation of social distancing measures in its facilities.
POST AUTHORISED HOLIDAY
Post's unilateral change to the Authorised holiday is to be condemned - a mid week holiday is an insult. Hiding behind the Principal Determination, made under the authority of the Australian Postal Corporation Act, they tore away what has traditionally been your only opportunity to spend a little additional time with friends and loved ones following the busiest time of year. Post have announced that this year's Authorised Holiday will fall on Wednesday 19 August. Members who previously elected to receive the Authorised Holiday as an additional annual leave day (in addition to 17.5% leave loading for the day) will automatically have this year's additional day credited on 5 August.
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Authorised by Dan Dwyer Branch Secretary
CWU Telecommunications & Services Branch, Sydney City, NSW.
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2020