TZV EBA - IN PRINCIPLE AGREEMENT REACHED

We advise members that we have reached in-principle agreement with 000Victoria on a new Operational Employees Enterprise Agreement. The next step will be drafting of the changes to the new Agreement which will be done prior to the end of April. Once that is completed, the Agreement will require final Government approval before going to members for a vote and then to the Fair Work Commission for approval.
Bargaining Representatives have worked tirelessly to achieve as many improvements to current conditions as possible. The Unions wish to thank your bargaining representatives/delegates, active members, and all those who participated in Industrial Action for their hard work in achieving these outcomes.
The monetary increases will be back dated to 3 April 2024 and paid in the first full pay period after this date, irrespective of the drafting, approval and voting process.
See the Heads of Agreement. This details where the most significant changes are.

NBN HOOK-UP WITH OUR LAWYER - FIELD ENGINEERS

All Field Engineers are invited to a Branch Zoom meeting to discuss the NBN proposals to change employment contracts. We anticipate having written responses from NBN at that time.
THURSDAY - 11 APRIL AT 4.30PM (See Email for Zoom details - not published on web)

NBN: WHERE TO NOW

Do not sign a new contract until you know exactly what you are agreeing to.

We believe that you cannot agree to terms like unpaid Button Compliance or unpaid SOD and EOD work. We believe that this is a breach of the EBA and Award.
We do not believe that you can be covered by the EBA as Field Engineers are specifically excluded.
We will advise further.

NBN: WATCH THIS SPACE

When we get a response we will paste it to our web site.here See NBN Special Bulletin

NBN FIELD ENGINEERS

We held a well attended meeting with members and others last Wednesday evening and answered a number of questions. We identified a number of issues to pursue.

• We (and other Branches of CWU) then met with NBN on Friday morning to discuss the issues raised by Field Engineers. There was a lot of general discussion to commence.
• NBN deny that redundancy is a threat to get FEs to sign a new common law contract. We pointed out that their FAQ paper says that is an option if you do not sign.
• NBN says classifications start at EBA Band 3 despite the fact that Band 3 says "Network Engineer (non field operations)".
• Our list of issues are set out in the next item. Another issue raised was need to see draft rosters for work and on call.
• NBN advised that the easiest option is to do nothing. (Editor note: Is it too late? The genie is out of the bottle)
• Clearly more time is needed and so is a relook at the whole proposal. We are awaiting responses in writing from NBN.

NBN - SPECIFIC ISSUES WE RAISED

Following our Wednesday meeting, we raised these issues. There was no time to debate them so NBN is responding in writing.

1. Separate EBA for FEs (variation needs full vote anyway, Band 3 specifically excludes FEs)
2. SOD EOD issues - no legal basis - not in EBA and must be paid work. A new EBA could introduce such a scheme but not there now.
3. EOD extend to 1 hour each day - totally opposed.
4. Button Compliance - is work that must be paid.
5. On Call - loss of income significant - appears to be reduction from about 30% per hour to 20% ph.
6. Now TOIL Day for public holiday work
7. Formal lunch break now added - not reasonable where it must be done when time permits
8. Shiftworker or dayworker not distinguished. Cannot swap around.
9. Overtime not shift penalty out of hours work for dayworkers
10. Redundancy - why are they redundant? See FAQ.
11. Redundancy what conditions apply - EBA?
12. Legitimate reasons to refuse shift eg medical, family
13. On Call hours - why 14 hours?
14. Away from Home Allowance after 2 days - explain
15. 10 hour break - interrupted - must start 10 hour again
16. Confirm that new salary same as TFR.
17. Effectively TFR is grandfathered - what is future of grandfathered salaries - increase or frozen until EBA catch up. (Immediate response not frozen)

Finally we stated that there was insufficient time for genuine consultation

NBN MEMBERS NOTE

Our Branch has historically represented technicians in the Communications sector and employs very experienced staff.
We have Sue Riley (ex Telstra), John Ellery (ex Telstra Senior Tech, Dan Dwyer (ex OTC Senior Tech and practicing lawyer).
To join us and your colleagues with this exercise, join our Branch. See CWUnion.net

POST EBA TALKS

Discussions with Australia Post are scheduled to recommence from April 3, where the Union will continue its pursuit of a new EBA11 that delivers the recognition, respect and job security our members want, and deserve. See the CWU Log of Claims

TELSTRA CEASES COVID POLICY

Telstra advised as follows:
Telstra has continued to monitor the latest health advice, case numbers, vaccination rates and considered community practices and expectations regarding COVID-19. With Covid-19 restrictions all but phased out within the communities in which we operate, Telstra is proposing to retire the Covid-19 Vaccination Policy on 15 April. The policy currently applies to employees (and new hires) in E000 & the Field and those travelling internationally for work.

ACTU: DID YOU KNOW THAT UNION MEMBERS ARE THE BIGGEST REASON THAT THE MINIMUM WAGE GOES UP?

The ACTU announced it will seek a 5% increase in Australia's minimum and award wages as part of its submission to the Annual Wage Review.
Each year, the Fair Work Commission hears from unions, employers and Governments before setting minimum and award wages for about 2.9 million, or one in four workers, which comes into effect on 1 July 2024.
Workers on awards are about $4,700 worse off after inflation has eaten away at their pay rises over the past three years, despite recent positive increases in award wages. The ACTU claim would help workers meet current prices rises and make up for the lost income over this period.
The ACTU submission argues that business can afford this fair and sensible increase, especially as levels of profits are well above pre-pandemic levels.
The claim would also have no negative impact on inflation, partly because the wages and hours of some of Australia's lowest paid workers are modest. Indeed, last year was the biggest increase to the minimum wage in over 40 years, and inflation dropped by 3.7%.
The increase would especially benefit women and part time workers, as 3 in 5 award workers are women and 2 in 3 are part time.
A 5% wage increase would lift the minimum hourly rate to $24.39 and the minimum annual full-time rate by $2,295 to take it to $48,200.