Members vote to lock in certainty and security
Despite the Abbott/Turnbull Government’s unfair Workplace Bargaining Policy, a strong and coordinated CEPU campaign delivered an EBA9 that locks in all existing hard-fought conditions, continues to maximise meaningful, full-time jobs, prevents members impacted by reform from being involuntarily retrenched and equips members for the jobs of the future.
And the strong endorsement for EBA9 right across the country demonstrates just how important that security and certainty is to CEPU members as they prepare to confront further change and industry disruption.
The ballot was counted today resulting in the following state-by-state breakdown:
- New South Wales 91% YES
- Australian Capital Territory 92% YES
- South Australia 90% YES
- Northern Territory 95% YES
- Queensland 80% YES
- Western Australia 85% YES
- Tasmania 85% YES
- Victoria 45% YES
NATIONAL YES VOTE: 74%
The final count is still subject to declaration by the Australian Electoral Commission. However, if accurate, the national “YES” vote percentage is the highest ever seen in an Australia Post EBA ballot.
Members delivered this decisive result
Your Union wishes to thank all members, particularly our local AURs and activists, for their hard work in encouraging members throughout all workplaces to cast their important vote in this critical EBA9 ballot.
Ever-evolving customer demand in an industry that continues to be disrupted will, without doubt, result in further significant change as Australia Post continues in its transformation to sustainability. Your selfless efforts to protect the livelihoods of your peers across the country has resulted in an EBA9 that ensures the security and certainty members and their families will need as we navigate through unchartered waters.
Given the very real threat to your job security, benefits and conditions posed by the Abbott/Turnbull Government’s Workplace Bargaining Policy, this result puts members and their families in the best possible position to prosper from workplace change, rather than fall victim to it. For your enormous contribution to this outcome, you should be proud.
Abbott/Turnbull Government pay policy a tough pill to swallow
Australia Post workers are amongst the nation’s most loyal and hardworking. Your Union remains disgusted that the Abbott/Turnbull Government’s unfair Workplace Bargaining Policy forced members to accept a wage outcome that didn’t properly recognise you for your contribution to the company’s successful turnaround.
However, while your Union strongly opposes the policy, its attack on conditions and its 2% annual wage limit, a strong CEPU campaign delivered an exemption to the policy allowing us to lock in:
- Every single EBA8 entitlement;
- Maximising full-time jobs;
- No forced redundancies for members impacted by reform;
- A $22 million training fund to equip our members for the jobs of the future;
- Your Authorised Holiday / Union Picnic Day
- Your Superannuation benefits;
- An additional 1% One Team bonus subject to achievable conditions; and
- Extends the life of important side commitments from EBA8 to EBA9 that:
– Extends 30% night shift penalty rates to NSW/ACT transport, processing and delivery employees from the first shift
– Ensures Saturday duty in NSW/ACT retail remains voluntary and subject to the conditions and pay rates of overtime and additional hours only
– Protects the way work trials are conducted with the involvement of local Union reps
– Recognises and upholds the rights of AURs in the workplace
– Provides members subject to redundancy with free outplacement services
– Provides members with heavily discounted financial and superannuation advice
– Prevents posties from being converted to dedicated deliverers
– Recognises additional hours when paying sick leave entitlements
– Protects the transport interstate linehaul allowance and overload arrangements
– Limits the demotion period following severe disciplinary outcomes
This has all been achieved without any productivity or entitlement trade-offs.
And despite years of active industrial action and multiple “no” votes across Federal Government agencies and departments, your CEPU EBA9 remains the only to receive such an exemption.
In contrast, Australian Tax Office (ATO) employees have endured three years without a pay rise. After losing pay engaging in industrial action and multiple rejected EBA offers, they have just two days ago cast a landslide “Yes” vote to accept an EBA paying the same 6% over its three-year term. Effectively, ATO employees will average just a 1% pay rise each year over the six-year period between 2014 and the expiry of their new EBA.
The reality is a “No” vote for EBA9 would’ve resulted in postal workers facing a similar, bleak future.
So rather than treating our members as guinea pigs by risking their entitlements, job security and their families’ livelihoods, we must now focus our efforts on campaigning to ensure no government ever again applies policies to the Australia Post bargaining process that limits our ability to achieve a fair pay rise whilst, hypocritically, exorbitant executive salaries soar.
Members nationwide send a clear message to Victorian Branch leadership
Throughout the voting period members, once again, endured a misleading misinformation campaign across the country led by the Victorian Branch leadership and their supporters. However, a clear message has today been sent by members: don’t play with our conditions, don’t play with our job security and don’t play with our families’ livelihoods.
This ballot outcome clearly demonstrates that the Victorian Branch leadership, who have opposed every single EBA since their election in 2003 for their own political self-interests, are severely out of touch with the needs of postal workers and their families.
Keep our Union strong
Australia Post will now lodge EBA9 with the Fair Work Commission (FWC) and your Union will be taking steps to ensure coverage. Once the Agreement is approved by the FWC it will come into effect and replace EBA8.
To continue delivering outcomes like this in the future, it’s important that we keep our Union strong.
If your colleagues are not yet members of the CEPU, ask them to join today. They can join online simply by clicking here.
Once again, I sincerely thank all members for the significant role they played in securing such a critically important outcome for EBA9. I look forward to holding Australia Post to account, ensuring we maximise the benefits available to members under EBA9.
Yours faithfully,
SHANE MURPHY
BRANCH SECRETARY
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