Australia Post EBA11 Update

Bargaining for a new EBA11 at Australia Post has continued over the past weeks, with your Officials meeting with different management representatives to resolve outstanding matters of contention specific to a number of occupational groups across the company.

This week, formal talks between Australia Post and your National and State Branch leadership teams have recommenced and we have made significant progress closer towards reaching an agreement, in principle.

This progress includes your CWU bargaining team securing the following outcomes, subject to full and final agreement, as part of this round of talks:

• All existing EBA10 terms and conditions – including RRR benefits, to continue to apply without any trade-offs;
• The 15% postie delivery payment introduced as part of our progression to a new delivery model will be protected, and will apply regardless of shift commencement time now, and into the future. This payment will also be extended to casuals;
• A part-time employee will be able to request a review and extension of their nominal hours with the review period looking back 6 months, rather than the current 12 months;
• The once-per-year restriction on members being able to cash-out their excess annual leave will be removed – allowing an employee to request a cash-out at any time throughout the year, should they wish to do so; and
• Once again, the Delegates Charter will be handed up to the Fair Work Commission when seeking approval for any new EBA11. This document defines and protects the rights and entitlements of your local Authorised Union Representatives – allowing them to effectively perform their roles in the workplace.

Furthermore, we have secured Australia Post’s commitment to continue working towards resolving a number of non-core EBA matters which CWU members told us were important to them, including:

• Workplace flexibility;
• Increasing the per km reimbursement rate for members who use their private vehicles for work-related purposes;
• Updates to the personal leave policy around the acceptance of pharmacy certificates in certain circumstanes; and
• Clarification of regular single-day higher duties.

Although what we have secured so far is a significant step in the right direction, there are still a number of non-core matters we would like to see wrapped up as part of this process.

Further offline talks at a high level will continue over the coming days with a focus on resolving these outstanding non-core matters, and a possible wages outcome. Members will be kept informed of any progress in that regard.

In the meantime, should you require any further information, please contact Assistant Secretaries Cameron Bird, Peter Chaloner or Nick Townsend, or Branch Officials Cade Anderson, Lisa Bahls, Nick Bentley, Chris Gleeson, Phil Kessey, TK Ly, Robbie McLauchlan, Liam Murphy, Peter O’Connell, Brett O’Neill, Peter Psomas, Giselle Saba, Kerry Turner or Dennis Williams on (02) 9893 7822 when calling from NSW or the ACT, (07) 3255 0440 from QLD or (08) 8443 7389 from SA or the NT.