Your Union officials have a short time ago received a formal proposal from Council leadership in relation to resolving the ongoing Christmas Concession Days provision dispute.

The Union asks all members to attend a Zoom meeting on the 30 of November to provide input on the proposal (below) and to formally vote on the proposal.

Your Union officials and delegates will be present at these meetings to listen to your feedback and answer any questions you may have.

Meeting details have been emailed out to members

For any questions or feedback on this matter please contact Zoe your Organiser via zorourke@usu.org.au or your workplace delegates

 

Council’s Proposal as at the 24th of November 2021:
  1. “All full-time and part-time employees of Burwood Council will be bestowed two concession days to be taken in the period between Monday 20 December 2021 and Friday 29 April 2022 on the condition that eligible employees demonstrate that they have applied for or taken two whole weeks of annual leave or long service leave prior to 29 April 2022. 
  2. To qualify for the two concession days the periods of annual leave or long service leave must be taken in minimum periods of 1 week at a time.
  3. The provision of two concession days is a gesture of good will on the part of Council and as such will be offered to all full-time and part-time employees irrespective of whether they are required to work in the period between Christmas and New Year.  Employees required to work in the period between Christmas and New Year will not receive any additional benefits other than the relevant rate of pay and the relevant penalties.
  4. This approach represents a consent departure away from the terms of the Deed of Settlement executed in April 1997.
  5. In giving effect to the resolutions passed at the Ordinary Council meeting on 27 July 2021, the Executive Management Team reserves the right to determine the services that will open during the 2021 Christmas close-down and the manner in which those services will be resourced.
  6. Council and the industry unions agree to undertake discussions and proactively work towards improving the way work is undertaken, recognising exceptional performance, enhancing employee well-being and addressing the service needs of the community.
In the event that the above proposal is not acceptable to all the unions, then Council has no other option other than to comply with the resolutions passed at the Ordinary Council meeting on 27 July 2021.  The effect of such an approach is that:
  1. There will be a Christmas close-down from 25 December 2021 to 7 January 2022.
  2. Council will not provide employees with three paid leave (concession) days during the close-down period.
  3. The Executive Management Team reserves the right to determine the services that will open during the close-down period and the manner in which those services will be resourced.
  4. The terms of the Deed of Settlement executed by all parties in April 1997 will apply to all employees who are required by Council to work during the close-down period.”