ABC Management Offer for the Next Enterprise Bargain
26 September 2008, 3:12pm
Management has approached the union and has asked whether we are interested in a one-off, one year extension of the current Agreement in return for a 4% salary increase.
This would mean a wage increase would apply from 1 April 2009, i.e. the date the current Agreement is set to expire.
We have told management that we are prepared to consider their offer, but that the decision will have to be endorsed by members at membership meetings.
We have also put to management that we want a commitment that if the extension is agreed to, negotiations for the next (i.e. 2010) Agreement will take place in 2009 around three critical issues.
These are:
Performance Management
The benchmarks that are used for valuing jobs (the work level standards and role templates), and
Forms of Employment i.e. the use of Specified Task and Fixed Term employment
In the event that agreement can be reached, the changes would be implemented immediately (where that can be done legally). The agreed changes would then the included in the following Agreement i.e. a 2010 ABC Agreement.
An advantage of the extension is that it would allow negotiations to proceed on these three important issues without delaying the pay increase
A disadvantage will be that we would not have an opportunity to address other claims for a further 12 months.
Members are asked to discuss this offer with their local delegate or union organiser.
Membership meetings will be called to formally consider the management proposal.
