Award 2020

DOWNLOAD THE 2020 NSW LOCAL GOVERNMENT (STATE) AWARD HERE

Since mid 2019 the USU has been involved in ongoing negotiations for the 2020 NSW Local Government (State) Award. These negotiations were difficult with every aspect of the Award – including some of your most basic working conditions targeted in the initial Log of Claims by the Employer’s Association LGNSW.

As members are aware the union usually conducts over 350 mass meetings across every council in NSW to make sure members have a say in their Award.

Covid-19 put a stop to that - but it could not put a stop to our democratic process. We looked at all our options and decided that a postal ballot sent directly to members was the best way to ensure as many members as possible could vote.

TIME FRAME
The time frame that we had to adopt regarding the mail out was regrettably tight. This arose because we were not in a position to finalise the information to go out with the postal ballots until we had finalised negotiations, and the Employer’s Association LGNSW Board had endorsed the Award package.

In this Award, the USU has been able to secure an Award package focussing on improvements to job security with a wage increase of 5.5% over three years. Additionally there will be a further 1% superannuation guarantee increase, bringing the total package to 6.5% over three years.

The first wage increase applied from the first full pay period in July 2020 and will be 1.5% with further increases of 2% to apply from the first full pay period in July 2021 and July 2022.

THE PROCESS
We immediately had to print almost 26,000 individual ballot forms, envelopes and information packages to be mailed out by priority post. The closing date of the 26th of June was determined by the availability of the Industrial Commissioner who was dealing with the Award.

CHECK OUT HOW MEMBERS AT YOUR COUNCIL VOTED!