Your staff representatives and CPSU negotiating team were successful in negotiating an agreement with significant improvements to your conditions, securing a resolution on each of your outstanding issues and moving beyond management’s previous “final offer”.
A majority endorsed this agreement and staff will be able to cast a final vote from Friday 18 July.
Improvements
4.2% pay increase on commencement of the agreement, with 4.2% p.a. in the second and third years;
Reduction in the number of increments in each band, allowing you to reach the top of the band faster to secure more pay;
Improved studies assistance package, including up to $4000 reimbursement p.a. and 120 hours study leave p.a.
Improved travel entitlement, including recognition of business travel time between 7am-7pm;
Redundancy
– right to cash out one month consultation and one month consideration
period (in lieu of the additional 9 week entitlement);
Improved
personal leave. Your 18 day p.a. entitlement no longer has to be used
for study leave, parental leave, or other purposes previously included;
2 days compassionate leave and 3 days bereavement leave per occasion (previously included in personal leave);
10 days supporting partner leave (previously one week of your personal leave accrual could be used);
14 weeks adoption leave;
Access to financial advice for employees approaching retirement.
What happens now?
Staff will be able to cast their final vote on the agreement from 18
July – 31 July. If the vote is successful it will be lodged with the
Workplace Authority. The collective agreement will then take effect 7
days after the Workplace Authority advises the agreement has been
approved.
It’s been a long time coming
October 2007 - a majority of staff vote in favour of the CPSU commencing negotiations. Management refuse
28
November - management advises they consider it inappropriate to
commence negotiations until the incoming government’s policy becomes
“clear”
CPSU urges AUSTRAC management to commence
negotiations, in line with other government agencies commencing
directly after the federal election
In the meantime, CPSU surveys staff and a majority endorse CPSU bargaining claim
31 January 2008 – with strong staff support and doubled membership, CPSU again calls for management to commence negotiations
13
February 2008 – management agree to commence negotiations after your
staff representatives worked hard to demonstrate staff had a unified
position that negotiations should commence immediately for a union
collective agreement
DEEWR approval of the agreement took over a month
It
is management’s position that they will not deviate from the APS
bargaining framework and seek the Minister’s approval to compensate for
the delay with back pay.
