Questacon - have your say on your pay and conditions
9 March 2010, 3:19pm
Your unions want your feedback on whether we settle on the proposed Questacon package or commit to an escalated campaign. We do not advocate a YES vote to settle, due to management’s full rejection of our reasonable settlement proposal.
But staff need to be aware of the consequences
of a NO vote. Our settlement letter to the Director is here .
We need to hear from you.
All union members are encouraged to participate by voting online here . Non-members are
welcome to indicate a preference and are encouraged to join to have a full say
in determining your unions’ position. The vote will close
Monday 15 March.
Why CPSU are not advocating a YES vote
The Questacon package:
Does not remove junior rates based
on satisfactory performance.
Takes no further action to address
the financial disadvantage of Questacon staff.
Does not provide for a joint review
to ensure appropriate classifications.
Does not provide for allowances for
clothing or footwear.
Does not improve travel allowances
for Outreach staff.
Erodes existing conditions including qualifying period
for temporary assignment of duties payment and eyesight subsidy.
Does not provide for genuine consultation before
decisions are made. Your bargaining team understood that this had been
agreed. Questacon is considering their position.
An administrative change threatens women’s super when
on unpaid maternity leave. Questacon has thus far refused to fix this as FWO
and ABS have done. They both agreed with CPSU that women on unpaid maternity
leave should continue to receive their super entitlement. More information here .
What happens if I vote NO to Questacon’s package?
Further delay will cost employees around a quarter of
a per cent a month with no guarantee of a better outcome.
To improve the package, we will need to escalate the
campaign and we will need overwhelming employee support .
Negotiations would continue to be restrained by
external economic and political pressures.
Government policy effectively caps pay rises
according to agreement length so the % pay offer is likely to go down
Genuine risk that any possible improvement will be
less than cost of subsequent delay, industrial penalties, etc.
CPSU continuing push for a better way to
bargain in the APS
The financial disadvantage of Questacon staff is a further reason why CPSU is
pushing to address APS pay inequity through a service wide agreement after 30
June 2011. Find out more here .
What have we achieved?
Guaranteed 15.4% superannuation regardless of choice
of fund
Healthy lifestyle reimbursement of up to $150
Improved support for parents - vacation child care
subsidy increased to $22 per child per day and provision of car park for
women in their third trimester
If you haven’t already,
join your union! By being union members you help provide the power
and resources we need to win a decent outcome for you and your
colleagues. Membership fees are tax-deductible and tiered to salary so the
less you earn, the less you pay i.e. casuals earning less than $10,000 can
join for $3.90 a fortnight. Technical and trades employees (Fyshwick workshop) are
encouraged to join the AMWU.
