2011 Christmas Arrangements: Australia Post Mail and Parcel Operations

Following state level discussions and subsequent meetings involving your local CEPU representatives, the 2011 Christmas Arrangements have now been completed.

This bulletin is produced for the information of all CEPU mail and parcel operations members.

Christmas Public Holidays

Members who perform duty on any of the following days are to be paid public holiday rates of pay (2.5 times in total).

Pay Arrangements

Normal Pay days on Wednesdays 7 Dec., 21 Dec and  4 Jan 2011 remain unchanged.

Public Holiday Rates of Pay 

CEPU members who are performing duty on any of the Public Holidays mentioned above are entitled to be paid Public Holiday Rates of pay i.e. 2.5 times in total.

Members are entitled to a single (1) days extra pay if their RDO falls on any of the Public Holidays.

Public Holiday Roster 

All mail & parcel facilities are closed on Christmas Day, Sunday 25 December 2011.

All members are advised to be aware of your local agreed Christmas & New Year’s Public Holiday working arrangements.

Overtime Arrangements  

All members employed in the mail and parcel facilities who have Christmas Casuals, will have access to minimum overtime offers during the month of December.  The minimum overtime arrangements are the same as in previous years i.e. offers will equate to 6 hours of overtime per week during the month of December, which maybe worked as either cancelled RDO or pre/post overtime.

Members are advised to be familiar with local agreed 2011/12 Christmas/New Year Arrangements in relation to the following conditions:

• Overtime offers that will apply at your workplace may occur earlier than December where some international mail/parcel operations are intending to employ Christmas Casuals a week earlier. For these workplaces and/or areas, overtime arrangements and/or extended hours for part time members shall apply early.
• Part time members  being offered extended full-time (7.21) hours during December peak period.
• Suspension of roster [i.e. common RDO] where included in local agreed Christmas arrangements.
• Other than for exceptional circumstances, members will not be asked to work both pre and post shift overtime on any one shift.

Order of Overtime Offers

Overtime is first offered to permanent full-time members; then part-time members following extended to full-time (7.21) hours; and as a last resort Christmas Casuals.

Please note casuals will be sent home or advised they will not be required when mail/parcel volumes are anticipated to be lower than expected.

Concession Day Arrangements

The 2-hour concession will be taken on Friday the 23 December. Members who are RDO on this day will have to seek alternative arrangements as per your local agreed Christmas arrangements.  

Christmas / New Year break Arrangements

Following on from the previous years’ agreed arrangements, some regular permanent staff (F/T and P/T) will have the opportunity to enjoy special leave during the Christmas/New Year period.  If requests for this special leave are beyond what your workplace can allow, preference will be given to members who have not availed of such leave in previous year/s.

Selection of who can avail of this leave will be drawn by a ballot (drawing out of a hat) involving your relevant local AUR(s).  Members must refer to your local agreed Christmas arrangements for further information.  

Parcel Delivery Centre Arrangements

Similar to last year, parcel delivery facilities will work up to four Fridays to allow for Saturday deliveries, where required leading into Christmas. Other weekend arrangements are subject to local agreed arrangements. Consistent with previous year, overtime offers will be consistent with the local agreed 2011 Christmas arrangements applying at Sydney Parcel Facilty.

Operations on Post Authorised Holiday

There will be limited transport operations on this day. Collection of mail product will be made from all Sydney metro Post Offices opened on this day including clearances of heavily patronised SPBs.

Staffing and hours of duty are determined  within the local Christmas arrangements.

These mail product clearances will be transported to SWLF where such products will be received and secured by SWLF Receipt Dock volunteers. No Express Post delivery operations are contemplated on this date.

Fire safety & emergency procedures, including white powder incidents

Management will ensure that all permanent staff, casuals and contractors will be reminded and provided with training on local emergency procedures involving evacuation plans and dealing with suspect mail items.

These familiarisation training procedures are expected to be completed prior to December.

Members are requested to immediately advise their local AUR or HSR if this has not yet occurred at your workplace.