Recently the USU sent out a survey to members regarding what they would like to see on the log of claims.  

The USU and PA also conducted a meeting with members in Port Macquarie and via MS Teams to determine and additional items to go on the log.  As result the USU Log of claims for this agreement is listed below.

1. Wages Increase  

  • 3% per year
  • 0.5% Superannuation
  • Removal 15% Superannuation Cap
  • 3 year agreement

2. No loss of existing entitlements

  • Paid Parental Leave
  • Increase to 18 weeks
  • Extend provision to include a permanent carer of a child 0 – 5 years of age.
  • Insert provisions around leave to cover for Foster Carers and Permanent Guardians
  • Ability to take Parental Leave anytime within the first 12 months

3. Flexible Working Options

  • Working from home becomes a permanent condition for employees who can and choose to work from home.
  • Base working from home on an 80/20 principle where 80% working from home and 20% to come into the workplace for collaboration/ training.  
  • Employees who wish to work at the workplace, can and will be accommodated but also retain the option to WFH if desired.  
  • Distributed work allowance $100 per month paid in weekly pay run. Available to all employees including casual employees.
  • Expand options for flexible working arrangements to allow for other requests such as students, religious reasons etc.
  • Change definition of workplace to include working from home.

4. Disputes Settlement Procedure –
USU /PSA to table clause to cover disputes that may arise under one agreement to continue over in new agreement and allow for FWC to have the ability to arbitrate over the dispute. (In line with recent FWC Decision AMWU v Simplot).

5. Job Security

  • Voluntary Redundancies before Forced Redundancies
  • Voluntary Redundancy uncapped

6. Company to pay for flu shots to be inserted into the EA

7. Review of Classification Structure to look into caps on banding in lower levels. Members to be recognised for work completed on consistent and satisfactory basis.

The USU also asked in the survey for nominations for Bargaining Representatives who will be negotiating the Enterprise Agreement along with the Union Officials.

The following are the Bargaining Reps who have nominated:

Port Macquarie
Daniel Welsh
Judy Cutler
Ruth Smallwood
Madison Kilgour
Kathleen Dibbs

Coffs Harbour
Brendan Mcentee

Central West
Leanne New – Mudgee
Karen Inwood – Bathurst

Riverina
Jason Bartlett

Tamworth
Peter Anderson

USU Officials

Melissa Pond – Hunter, North Coast, North West and Central West – mpond@usu.org.au
Mobile 0408620741

Troy Dunne – USU Energy Organiser – tdunne@usu.org.au
Mobile 0419403076

If you have any enquiries please contact any of the bargaining Representatives or your organisers on the contact details listed.

Please remember that Unity is Strength so if you are not a member and wish to join you can do so online at www.usu.org.au/join.