What’s ahead for 2019?
Throughout 2019 we expect that Slater’s intends to address and or overhaul many of their current policies and practices associated with you as employees. Whether that is a refresh of policies and procedures, incentive scheme reviews, market comparison of classifications and rates of pay or the multitude of other issues that may arise. Therefore, we need to ensure that you have a collective voice within your workplace and that we are genuinely consulted and involved in anything that may arise.
Be alert not alarmed!
Whilst we don’t want to raise concerns amongst members, it’s important to be prepared and ready for any possible eventuality. Whilst we have flagged with HR our expectation that there be genuine consultation and engagement about any issue that affects employees collectively it is not something we can take for granted.
It will be extremely important that you stay engaged with and get on board with the union so that you are fully briefed and involved in all decision making. I am a strong proponent of ensuring that members have all possible information, are fully educated and engaged about the issues at hand so that you can make fully informed decisions about the direction that we take with various issues.
On top of this we will be drawing closer to the next round of Enterprise Bargaining with many of the preparations for negotiations commencing in the second half of this year.
A few things to keep an eye on.
As you are no doubt aware your management team have been utilising the services of Mercer to ascertain how your terms and conditions of
employment compares to the market. No doubt in the very near future we will be hearing much more about this and the direction that Slaters wants to take.
Whilst we will look at any propositions with an open mind, we will absolutely ensure that we drill right down into the minutia of the detail to confirm that any comparisons utilised are accurate and indeed reflective of the environment in which you operate.
The ASU and your delegates will ensure that there is proper consultation and engagement over this issue. Members meetings will be held to seek your input; we strongly encourage you to attend so we can listen to any concerns or ideas you may have.
Consultation.
This year your delegates have already met on several occasions and have held initial discussion with management about our expectations throughout 2019.
We have advised management that we take genuine consultation very seriously and have requested that there be a monthly meeting scheduled with the ASU and your delegates and as required.
We will ensure that we keep all ASU members across the detail of discussions that we have.
The way for you to help your workplace delegates is to ensure that you are a member of the union. This way Slaters will be under no doubt that when we raise an issue it’s on behalf of the majority of the workforce. If you know someone that is not a member please encourage them to join.
Short Term Incentive Scheme.
For those members that have access to the sort term incentive scheme it is important that you have a complete picture of what has transpired to date.
Late last year the ASU and your delegates were called to a meeting about the ongoing viability of the short-term incentive scheme.
At this first meeting it was put to us that Slaters had every intention of cancelling the scheme altogether. By way of compensation they proposed to offer employees a one-off cash payment to the value of 40% of the previous year’s individual cap. This would have left many people considerably worse off than the previous year. As you can imagine our response to Slaters left them under no illusion about what we thought about the proposal.
The ASU made it very clear that we were of the view that the incentive scheme formed part of an individual’s contract of employment and that there was a reasonable expectation that the scheme would be a continuing scheme. Especially given that five months of the measurement period has already passed.
After much toing and froing Slater’s realised that we were not going to give up on this issue and made a second proposal to convert the cash component to a base rate pay increase. While this was a step in the right direction, we still held firm that employees have a right to have the previous scheme maintained if that was their choice.
The wash up of all the above is that after much furious debate and negotiation the settled outcome is as follows:
- Access to the same scheme that was available on a case by case individual basis which was up to 100% of the cap. Measurements for the FY19 scheme will be no more onerous than those imposed for the FY18 scheme, or
- An individual buyout of the former scheme which will be converted to a base rate pay increase and backdated to 1 July 2018.
It is important to understand that without the union’s involvement and advocacy there would
have been only 1 option available. Slaters’ original plan would have left almost everyone worse off and without a replacement scheme for the 2019FY.
There are two briefings scheduled with HR about the changes to the short-term incentive scheme.
The ASU will hold a follow up meeting after each briefing so that we can provide you with an overview and to give you the opportunity to ask us any additional questions that you may have. We invite all employees to come to the ASU meeting following HR briefing.
Thursday 24 January
HR Briefing: 2.00 pm – the Boardroom
ASU meeting: 2.30 pm – the Boardroom
Tuesday 29 January
HR Briefing: 2.00 pm – Training Room 7
ASU meeting: 2.30 pm – Training Room 7
Union Membership
If you know someone that’s not a member of the Union share this with them and encourage them to join. It really is important that people get on board.
They can join online at www.asuvic.org or via one of your delegates
Download or print bulletin here
In Solidarity
Matt Norrey
Branch Secretary