19.1 Staff employed by Australia Post under the Agreement may sacrifice all or any part of their salary for superannuation purposes in accordance with Australia Post's policies and procedures and consistent with the provisions of relevant legislation and the Trust Deed requirements of the relevant Superannuation Fund.
20.1 This agreement shall operate on and from the date of the first pay period following certification by the AIRC and will expire 26 months later.
20.2 This agreement replaces and wholly supersedes the four previous Australia Post Enterprise Agreements and any award or agreement which may bind Post by virtue of transmission of business. The parties agree that Post will apply to terminate the previous four Australia Post Enterprise Agreements with effect from the date of certification of this agreement and the unions will consent to such applications.
20.3 Subject to relevant legislative provisions this Agreement overrides the operation of any other Award or Agreement to the extent of any inconsistency.
20.4 The Corporation may enter into an Australian Workplace Agreement (AWA) with any staff member covered by this agreement. However:
(a) no staff member will be required to enter into an AWA for their existing job, or a job, to which they are transferred or promoted and will have the choice of accepting or rejecting the AWA;
(b) existing staff members who are party to AWAs will, on expiry of those AWAs, have the choice of accepting a subsequent AWA or returning to award conditions.
20.5 The AWA may operate to the exclusion of this agreement or prevail over its terms to the extent of any inconsistency.
21.1 Current employees means all Post employees who had an employment relationship with Post on the date the agreement is certified and who have not broken that employment relationship.
22.1 This agreement is binding on:
(a) Australia Post
(b) the following unions:
(c) all staff employed by Australia Post in classifications specified in the following Awards or any successor awards:
23.1 Postal Managers, Grades 1-3, Remuneration Conditions.
23.2 Linehaul Drivers - Pay/Conditions.
23.3 Mail Processing Structure.
23.4 Parcel Structure
23.5 Shared Services - Structure/Pay
23.6 Messenger Post and Mailroom Solutions - Structure/Pay
23.7 EDIPost - Structure/Pay
23.8 Income protection scheme
23.9 Transport/Hubs - WLS's
SCHEDULE A - CASUAL/FIXED TERM STAFF CONVERSION RIGHTS
Casual Employees
(a) A casual employee, other than an irregular casual employee as defined in clause I (g), who has been engaged for a sequence of periods of employment under this Award, during a period of six months prior to the date of Certification of this Agreement, shall have the right to elect to have his or her contract of employment converted to permanent employment if the employment is to continue beyond the conversion process provided that the employee's election rights shall be to fixed term employment if the employment beyond the conversion process is for a fixed period or to undertake a specific task.
(b) Post shall give the employee notice in writing of the provisions of this clause to all casual employees with an election right under 1 (a).
(c) Any such casual employee who does not within four weeks of receiving written notice elect to convert his or her ongoing contract of employment to a full-time employment or a part-time employment will be deemed to have elected against any such conversion.
(d) Any casual employee who has a right to elect under clause I (a), upon receiving notice under clause I (b) or after the expiry of the time for giving such notice, may give four weeks notice in writing to the employer that he or she seeks to elect to convert his or her ongoing contract of employment to full-time or part-time employment, and within four weeks of receiving such notice the employer shall consent to or refuse the election but shall not unreasonably so refuse.
(e) Once a casual employee has elected to become and been converted to permanent or fixed term employment, the employee may only revert to casual employment by written agreement with the employer.
(f) If a casual employee has elected to have his or her contract of employment converted to full-time or part-time employment in accordance with clause I (e), Post and the employee in accordance with this subparagraph, and subject to clause 1 (e) shall discuss and agree upon:
(i) which form of employment the employee will convert to; and
(ii) the number of hours and the pattern of hours that will be worked.
Provided that the arrangements will be consistent with those that applied during the previous six months, unless other arrangements are agreed upon between the employer and employee.
Following such agreement being reached, the employee shall convert to either permanent or fixed ten-n employment.
Where, in accordance with clause I (e) an employer refuses an election to convert, the reasons for doing so shall be fully stated to and discussed with the employee concerned and a genuine attempt made to reach agreement.
(g) An "irregular casual employee" is one who has been engaged to perform work on an occasional or non-systematic or irregular basis.
The election rights provided by this clause do not apply to irregular casual employees. Employees whose hours of duty arrangements fall outside standard award hours of duty provisions for permanent and fixed term staff are for the purposes of this clause deemed irregular casual employees.
(h) Any dispute about the operation of this Schedule (including Post's refusal of an election or dispute a-bout whether the conversion should be to permanent or fixed term status) shall be dealt with as far as practicable with expedition through the Dispute Resolution process.
2. Fixed Term Employees
Fixed term employees who have been engaged for a total period of two years at the date of Certification of this Agreement shall thereafter have the right to elect to have his or her contract of employment converted to permanent employment. This right is subject to the same conditions/provisions that apply to and/or qualify the rights of casual employees to convert to permanent employment.
SCHEDULE B - EMPLOYEE CONDUCT AND DISCIPLINE
1. Australia Post has the right to dismiss an employee, impose a penalty of a reduction of two (2) increments for a period of 12 months (or equivalent penalty), or to transfer an employee to another position of the same or a lower classification for behaviour or performance which warrants such action, including:
(i) misconduct or wilful neglect of duty or grossly negligent conduct;
(ii) incompetence or inefficiency for reasons within the employee's control;
(iii) failure to observe the Code of Ethics.
2. In exercising this right, Australia Post shall not take action which is harsh, unjust or unreasonable.
3. Except in the case of serious and wilful misconduct or grossly negligent conduct (see below), Australia Post shall ensure that:
(i) employees are counselled and/or given a warning in order to assist them to maintain acceptable standards of behaviour and performance;
(ii) no employee is dismissed or transferred for a first breach of the Code of Ethics;
Grossly negligent conduct would apply in isolated instances only. For the purpose of this clause, such conduct involves a reckless act or omission which causes or could cause significant damage or harm and which would adversely affect the employment relationship. Decisions involving dismissal or transfer which are based on gross negligence (but not serious and wilful matters) should not be taken without prior referral to the Corporate HR Group.
4. An employee may be suspended pending a decision as to the action to be taken under clause (1) and such suspension shall be with pay, provided that suspension may be without pay where:
(i) criminal proceedings are pending; or
(ii) a police investigation involving a serious criminal act is involved which would adversely affect the employment relationship.
5. Australia Post shall furnish written advice to an employee of a decision under clause (1) and of reasons for the decision together with details of the procedures for lodging an application for review.
6. Where transfer, dismissal or penalty under clause (1) is considered to have been harsh, unjust or unreasonable, the employee concerned may submit an application for review of the decision by a Board of Reference. Any such application must be lodged within 14 days of the transfer, penalty or dismissal, in accordance with procedures established by Australia Post. Employees will also have a right to seek a review of suspension under 4(ii) by a Board of Reference once the disciplinary process has been implemented.
SCHEDULE C - EBA4 CONDITIONS OF SERVICE
1. Promotion/Temporary Performance Appeal Rights
Post will continue for the duration of EBA5 to provide employees with appeal rights against provisional promotions and against temporary transfers exceeding 3 ) months.
2. Study/Examination Leave
Study and examination leave may be granted to approved students in accordance with Australia Post's Principal Determination
3. Salary On Promotion
(i) The salary to be paid to an employee on promotion or transfer will normally be the minimum rate for that position except that in circumstances involving overlapping salary ranges, the new salary will normally be the next highest salary point in the salary range for the higher position.
(ii) Previous service at the level to which the employee is being promoted (or higher levels) shall be taken into account when determining salary on promotion and incremental dates in accordance with the same principles that apply to the assessment of higher duties allowance. An employee promoted to a position which the employee is occupying on a temporary basis shall not suffer any reduction in remuneration.
4. Salary Payment Arrangements
All employees will have all salary payments paid through direct credit arrangements to a bank or financial institution.
5. Work/Life
The parties are committed to the application of work/life initiatives throughout all workplaces but recognise that such initiatives must be mutually beneficial to both the business and employees and consistent with operational needs.
The parties agree:
(a) extension of short term absences for non-family purposes provided the make-up and time off arrangements are jointly agreed;
(b) 48/52 mode of employment where the arrangements made are cost neutral to the business; (c) use of time in lieu arrangements (d) job sharing (e) employment breaks for up to 3 years for family leave purposes.
6. Part-Time Employees - Preference
Priority will be given to permanent part-time employees when applying for permanent full-time vacancies in accordance with agreed guidelines.
7. Fixed Term Employees - Preference
Fixed term employees who have been subject to the same selection processes that apply to permanent employees will subject to satisfactory service be given priority if any permanent base level vacancies are filled by external recruitment during the fixed term period (subject to item 6 above).
8. Team Skills Loading - Mail Processing/Technical Staff
This loading will continue to be payable to Mail Officers and Technical staff in accordance with the conditions agreed as part of EBA4.
SCHEDULE D - CUSTOMER CONTACT CENTRES - STRUCTURAL ARRANGEMENTS
Changing role of Contact Centres
Contact centres are increasingly playing a role in Post's core business activities through:
Pro active account management of existing customers (out bound calling).
The type of customer has also changed from mainly consumers to SME (small medium enterprise) and major business customers since the transferring of calls from Post offices to contact Centres. The activities are now more focused upon product, service and sales instead of being predominantly a complaints point although this is still significant.
This proposal seeks to maximize the growth opportunities that are available to Post's contact centres through putting in place a revised and more competitive structure that aligns with industry practice. However, the objective is to do this in a way that has minimal affect on existing staff.
Structure
1. A separate Customer Contact Centre job structure will replace the current administrative level structure viz,
2. A single salary point structure will be utilized to replace the current administrative level salaries.
3. The new structure and pay levels will apply to all newly appointed staff, staff who are promoted and by election.
4. From 1 March 2003 an allowance will not be paid for higher duties performed unless the period is more than 1 day nor will shorter periods count as service at the higher classification.
5. A performance -management scheme will be developed.
6. The mix of levels required will be determined at a centre level and will reflect the nature of work requirements as well as the needs of customers.
7. The span ordinary hours and RDO provisions for Contact Centres will be listed as a reserved matter.
Translation Arrangements
All new staff will commence on the new multi level structure - at whatever level they are recruited eg. staff with previous experience who do not need training may not have to commence at level 1.
All existing staff will have the option of either electing to
(i) remain in the present structure with annual incremental salary arrangements at their current level;
(ii) translate to the new multi-level structure and associated conditions; or
(iii) express an interest in being redeployed to another position (ie, outside of Contact Centres). This redeployment process will be in accordance with the provisions of the RRR Agreement and specific provisions to be agreed between the parties.
Existing staff choosing to stay on current salary scales will:
(a) have their current salary maintained;
(b) continue to receive annual increments;
(c) receive future EBA adjustments based on the existing rates for their current job classification;
(d) participate in the performance management scheme;
(e) not be paid higher duties if their existing salary exceeds the new salary rate applicable to the relevant level;
Existing staff who elect to move to the new level structure will:
(a) be paid a one off "translation payment" of $1500 in lieu of incremental advancement. This payment will be available for a six month period from the date the new structure is communicated to staff; and
(b) participate in the performance management scheme.
For existing staff promoted to a higher level position:
(a) promotion will only be into the new salary structure and conditions.
(b) the performance management scheme will apply.
(c) where an employee's existing salary is above the new nominal salary level, the employee's existing salary will be maintained. EBA adjustments will be paid as an annual lump sum based on the employee's existing salary (this payment will count for superannuation purposes). When the current maintained salary equates to the new salary EBA increases will revert to a percentage basis.
Related Issues
Training and Development
Training will cove, induction, contact centre skills and Australia Post product and services knowledge to meet the competencies required for the position. Where practicable, this will be undertaken as part of recognised Contact Centre Industry schemes and will allow for prior learning by staff.
Targets
The parties acknowledge that some Contact Centre targets, including industry benchmarks, must be set consistent with available resources and prevailing service criteria. The parties recognize that the setting of these targets does not inhibit the measuring or monitoring of individual or cumulative results.
The parties will consult on the development of broad principles that will set a framework for specific individual or team targets.
Team or individual targets will then be set in consultation with staff members, having regard to the above framework and taking into account service criteria and the contact centre targets.
Performance Management
Any performance assessment scheme will be developed in consultation with the union and be based on the development of employee skills. The performance review process will embody fair procedures and review options.
Call Monitoring
The parties agree that the use of call monitoring for coaching and development purposes is an important tool for improving employee performance.
Prospective staff will continue to be advised of this operational requirement and the context in which it is applied at the time of their employment.
The parties will consult on the application of the call monitoring process.
Work Arrangements /Work Breaks
The Contact Centre work design arrangements will endeavour to provide a meaningful variety of work which will allow staff:
The existing work arrangements are structured to allow, as far as is practical, sufficient opportunity for staff to take breaks from telephone and keying tasks as needed. Staff manning telephones have a notable component of after call work and set time between calls. (clerical/wrap up).
It is not expected that there is likely to be any significant variation to this work pattern structure.
Consultation will occur on a six - monthly basis in relation to work arrangements. Any concerns relating to work arrangements or work breaks can be raised (and will be addressed) during such consultation.
Workplace Environment
The parties are committed to providing a safe working environment and to pursuing opportunities to increase the level of workplace safety.
The parties, therefore, agree to work together towards:
Salary Structure
Level 1 $29000 Level 2 $32000 Level 3 $34500 Level 4 $37000 Level 5 $44000 Level 6 $46000 Level 7 $48000
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