After intense negotiations with Roads and Maritime Service (RMS) over the past few months, the PSA and other RMS unions have secured an in-principle agreement with for a new two year award. See HERE for a copy of the proposed award.
The new award will provide a 2.5% increase to salaries as of 1 July 2017 and another 2.5% increase to salaries as of 1 July 2018. Other notable changes include:
- The Creation of a Change Management Framework [clause 7.4]
RMS will be obliged to work with unions towards an agreed Change Management Framework that will standardise and regulate the way they treat staff impacted by restructures.
This framework will standardise timeframes for consultation, and will allow unions and employees to present alternative proposals that minimise the negative impacts on the workforce. This framework will also detail the types of support impacted employees will be provided.
Once this framework is finalised it cannot be altered for two years, and only via consultation after that time.
- Obligation seek to utilise existing employees before using contractors/labour hire [clause 14.6(c)]
RMS management will be obliged to look internally at the available skills and capabilities of employees before outsourcing work to contractors or labour hire. This clause is designed to reduce high use by RMS of contingent labour, and places a clear obligation on RMS to greater utilise their internal workforce. This will lead to better job security and improved developmental and other opportunities for RMS employees.
- Strategic Workforce Discussions [clause 7.3]
RMS will now have to provide data on the use of contractors, labour hire, and casuals to union members and their representatives so that areas can be monitored for the excessive use of external labour.
- Ability to accrue excess hours as time in lieu [clause 22.2(e)(xiii)]
Employees will now be able to accrue time in lieu for hours above the 10 hours flex credit carry over, and will be able to use this time over a much longer period, including as an alternative to other forms of leave. This saves staff from “working for free” by forfeiting hours to their employer and ensures that these hours can be used during quieter periods.
- Strengthened Flexible Working Practices [clause 25.2]
A change has been made to the award to ensure that the ability to access flexible working practices is strengthened.
- Local Arrangements – all unions must agree [clause 21]
The award will now allow for local arrangements to be developed that apply to a group within the organisation. Any local arrangements would have to be agreed to by the employer and every union that is party to the Award.
PSA Recommendation
As the proposed award provides a number of improvements without any trade-offs of conditions, the PSA together with your RMS Departmental Committee endorses the agreement.
As part of the democratic processes within your union, PSA members in RMS have a vote on whether to accept or decline the proposed award. It is important to note non-members have no say in the award-acceptance processes.
If members vote to agree to endorse the new award, it will be filed in the Industrial Relations Commission. After this, we expect that the new award will commence and that your pay will increase by 2.5% (backdated to first pay period after 1 July 2017) within the next three weeks.
The ballot is to take place via Survey Monkey and all responses are to remain confidential.
Click HERE to vote in the survey.
The PSA encourages all members to take the two minutes to vote in this ballot.