The USU/ASU is pleased to announce that Maurice Blackburn employees nationally have participated in a vote and have agreed to the proposed Maurice Blackburn Employees’ Agreement 2020 negotiated by the Union.

98.8% of employees who voted last week, voted in favour of the Agreement.

This is an outstanding outcome for members at Maurice Blackburn despite the challenges of COVID-19. This secures a 2.75% collective wage increase for workers covered under the agreement, as well as other benefits such as a universal 35 hour working week across all offices.

The USU/ASU knows that our members were looking forward to a 3-year agreement with many of the terms agreed in principle on our original Log of Claims. The advent of COVID-19 has unfortunately caused global disruption and uncertain economic times, for this reason the USU/ASU as directed by our membership agreed to a change in the course of negotiations with Maurice Blackburn and a 12-month roll-over Agreement was unanimously endorsed on by our members. Part of this Agreement ensures that a side letter is agreed between the parties that ensures that bargaining will recommence in 2021 with Maurice Blackburn from the point when COVID-19 occurred. In practical terms this means that the items agreed in principle will have regard to the progress made in 2019 and early 2020, however the financial figures and offers that were on the table will need to be reassessed post-pandemic and cannot be guaranteed.

The terms of the formal operation of the roll-over Agreement will not occur until it is certified by the Fair Work Commission, however Maurice Blackburn have stated they will give effect to the new conditions as follows:

  • All offices will implement the change to a 35-hour full time working week (with corresponding changes for part time employees) with effect from 1 October 2020.
  • The salary increase of 2.75% for employees whose full time equivalent annual salary (excluding superannuation) as at 30 September 2020 is less than $116,996.02 will be made as soon as practicable and backdated to 1 October 2020.

If you have any questions, please contact your ASU Delegates or your USU Organiser Emily Callachor on 0417 420 924 or ecallachor@usu.org.au.

Thank You
Special thanks to our active EA Committee Delegates across the country that were instrumental in negotiating this Agreement. The USU/ASU thanks each and every one of them for their dedication, conviction, and unwavering support. Thank you to Elizabeth O’Shea, Colleen Bolger, Sammi Turner, Rosy Matheson, Tamara Popovich, Josh Boyes, Jett Garner, Kathleen Housego, Holly Batten, Lucy Minter, Penny Parker, Lewis Hamilton, Timothy McGinley.

Finally, thank you to all of our members that stuck together through the course of this bargaining period, without the support of our members we would not be able to negotiate strongly and achieve these outcomes.

Do you know someone that will be receiving the USU/ASU negotiated pay rise that isn’t a Union member? Remind them what the Union has done for them and ask them to join today by going to: www.usu.org.au/join