On 14 July 2014, the ASU National Negotiating Team met with management for our 5th meeting about the new Enterprise Agreement.
The ASU presented the remaining claims and the parties discussed issues such as casual conversion and car parking that had been raised at previous meetings. The key discussion about the ‘job families’ proposal (discussed in previous ASU Bulletins) is due to take place at the next two day, face to face meeting in Sydney on 6th and 7th of August.
ASU Claims
At the meeting the ASU presented the remaining claims. Management will formally respond to these issues at the next meeting.
Here is what we covered:
• Extend the salary scale for support staff, and lawyers beyond the first 3 years (claim 31 & 33)
• Require that lawyers and paralegals are provided with an Office (claim 29)
• Pay the relocation costs of staff moving interstate (claim 15)
• Increase study assistance (claim 16)
• Reimburse any PLT and admission costs for anyone employed as a First Year Lawyer (claim 17)
• Improve consultation and communication about major change (claim 18)
• Introduce a nationally consistent car allowance policy (claim 19)
• Improve mentoring and formal training for lawyers including financial support for Professional Development (claim 28)
• Provide lap tops and portable printers for lawyers conducting home visits for clients (claim 30)
• Introduce a system of flexi time and/or have a regular RDO (claim 8)
• Backfill positions when staff are on leave (claim 9)
• Provide adequate remuneration for overtime worked (claim 10)
• Access to salary packaging and salary sacrifice arrangements for all employees (claim 4)
• End the practice at CW of not paying bonuses on files where a client doesn’t pay or there is mistake on the file (claim 5)
• Improve the PDR Process (claim 6)
• Enable employees to choose their superannuation contributions to be made to a pre-existing superannuation fund of which they are already a member (claim 7)
Casual conversion after 12 months
The ASU provided the company with a draft casual conversion clause. It provides that after 12 months employment casuals may request to convert to permanent employment. Management will respond to this at a future meeting.
Extend bereavement leave
The ASU has proposed a draft clause that would extend the circumstances in which bereavement leave could be
taken. The proposal would allow employees to take leave when a ‘person of significance’ dies rather than just an ‘immediate family member’. This is designed to capture close relatives such as aunts or uncles who are excluded by the current definition of immediate family member. Management will respond at a future meeting.
Car parking safety
The ASU presented the survey results from the car parking survey of employees, conducted over the last month. The survey found that many employees are concerned about their safety when they walk to their cars at the start and end of the work day. A working group will be convened to discuss this issue before the next EBA meeting.
What’s next
Our next meeting is in Sydney on 6 and 7th August 2014.