AUS POST DISPUTE TO FWC

We have referred the dispute over staffing, rosters and classifications at Newcastle Mail Centre to the Fair Work Commission. The first conference is likely late this week

TPG EBA NEGOTIATIONS AT A CROSSROAD

We have been engaged in negotiations for a new Enterprise Agreement (EA) for TPG Telecom's retail, call centre and logistics workers, since late last year.
The EA is the document which sets the pay, terms and conditions of your employment and is renegotiated every few years.
During this round of bargaining, TPG Telecom is proposing a wage outcome that will leave their frontline workers and their families facing significant financial pain.
TPG's proposed pay outcome is really a pay cut, in real-terms.
Their current proposal is to guarantee a wage increase of just 2% - with up to 2% more payable at your manager's discretion based on your performance.
But it gets worse. TPG is proposing to include unpopular elements of the current Vodafone EA which will see permanent retail employees who work up to 12 hours after 6pm (or 20 hours on Saturdays), within a 2-week roster cycle, not receive penalty rates for those hours. Casual workers will still be paid penalty rates, but will lose their 25% casual loading.
Whichever way you look at it, if TPG get their way, workers and their families are in for real financial pain as the cost of living soars, whilst pay races downhill.
We have made it clear to management that the offer doesn't cut the mustard and TPG has committed to review their proposal and to respond to us within the next two to four weeks.
You're never alone when you're a union member. Join us now -

TELSTRA BREAKUP MOVING ALONG

Telstra has advised of progress as they set dates for the restructure. Their advice states (in part)

One of the key steps in the restructure is getting approval from our shareholders to the Scheme which will establish a new holding company (the Top Hat component) and transfer the majority of our existing legal contracts to Telstra Limited (the Business Restructure Component). The Scheme Booklet provides shareholders with the information they need to vote on this.
Shareholders will vote on the scheme resolution at a Scheme Meeting which will be held on 11 October 2022, immediately following our 2022 Annual General Meeting.
Subject to obtaining shareholder and further court approval we expect:
• the new holding company to be in place by 31 October 2022 (this is the date eligible shareholders will receive new Telstra Corp Shares) and;
• the Business Restructure Implementation to be complete on 1 January 2023.
  Now that we have a confirmed the Business Restructure Implementation date of 1 January 2023, we can also confirm that our transition to new employer companies will happen towards the end of 2022. We will be able to start sharing further details on key dates and next steps with you and employees in the coming weeks.

UNIONS NOT HR HAVE YOUR BACK - ACTU

We just had to share this headline, where a former Vice President of Microsoft warns that HR is rarely the best place for workers to turn to for help
In fact, he goes even further: "Do not see your team's HR representative as a friend. It's easy to see them as one - they're right there, they are a people person, and they will listen. But, simply put, HR is not your friend."
The reason for this is simple: HR is a paid by the company to solve problems for the company, not to solve problems for employees.
So where should workers turn to if they do need support or information? Unions.
Unions are completely independent and work solely in the interests of members.
No one plans for things to go wrong at work, so that's why it's reassuring for union members to know they have access to the best employment legal advice, as well as support and information about workplace