AMALGAMATION VOTE
Members will have received an email and SMS message seeking support for the amalgamation of the Vic and NSW T&S Branches. Our BCOM unanimously supports a YES vote. You can only vote once either via the email link or the SMS link. Please vote before next Friday.

SPF OVERTIME VOTE
The vote will be extended to Friday this week. Post has sent out an email seeking your vote on the way overtime is allocated. This vote arose as part of the agreement to settle a number of disputes. Many staff have argued for a return to a list showing actual overtime worker - as was the practice for many years. The vote essentially is to get your approval to go back to that system.

SPF - WHAT THE VOTE IS ABOUT
This is the Agreement between our Branch and Post SPF:

The allocation of overtime can be a contentious matter and the parties agree that a fair and transparent process is needed.

1. Previously, overtime was allocated based on overtime actually worked. All staff were included in one list. In 2020, a new process was implemented based on offers made, not actual overtime worked. Various disputes have arisen.

2. The parties have agreed that Australia Post will conduct a short survey of all Technical staff at SPF and SGF regarding the overtime principles to understand their preferences now that they have had the opportunity to be see both systems in operation. The parties will be guided by the outcomes of the survey. There will be a review of overtime after 6 months.

3. The following principles are accepted:
(a) The decision whether overtime is offered rests with SPF management.
(b) Team Leaders will have separate overtime arrangements.

4. If actual overtime worked is the preferred model, then the following basic principles are accepted:
(a) All technical staff will participate on one list
(b) The overtime will cover SPF and SGF
(c) The overtime data is extracted from the pay system Workbrain
(d) Overtime is offered first to the eligible member lowest on the list, and if refused then the offer is made to the next eligible person on the list.
(e) Eligible staff means staff can work the overtime e.g. not ineligible by lack of a 10 hour break, on a "do not call" list, apprentices or on leave.
(f) An overtime list will list all SPF/SGF Technical staff, (excluding Team Leaders) and the amount of overtime actually worked by each individual.

5. A rolling 12-week tally means that when a new week of overtime worked data is added making 13 weeks of data, then the data of the oldest week will be removed. The initial list will be created from the preceding 12 weeks.

6. If a "do not call" list is agreed, then an individual can add or remove their name to or from the list.

7. Overtime at the Team Leader or Engineering Lead level will be first offered to all Team Leader's. Overtime will be offered using the overtime list to determine the Team Leader lowest on the list where it complies with the 10 hour break rule. As the Team Leader pool is small, overtime offers to cover a shift should be in blocks where appropriate so that the Team Leaders can comply with the 10 hour break rule. Nothing in this Agreement prevents a Team Leader from working overtime at a technician level if there are no technicians available.

TELSTRA TO SELL 49% OF TOWERS - COMMENT
Telstra announced this week that it will establish a separate company (not a 100% owned subsidiary) to hold its tower assets. However Telstra will hold 51% of the company and the balance will be held by superannuation funds and the Government "Future Fund".

While the proposal is predictable, we have often seen the divestiture of assets in the past - such as sale and leaseback of real estate and buildings. This makes the CEO look good and in the short term boosts the share prices (and bonuses). Winners all round if you ignore the fact that you have sold an asset and spent the money. The share price rose from about $3.60 to about $3.80 following the announcement.

TELSTRA TO SELL 49% OF TOWERS - KEY EXTRACTS FROM ANNOUNCEMENT-