The union and council participated in a compulsory conference before the NSW Industrial Relation Commission regarding the ongoing dispute regarding both position descriptions and the salary system as a whole. While council has worked productively with the union agreeing to re-write job descriptions to reflect the actual duties then re-evaluate the positions, the union still has some concerns and has sought the following:
- Once draft position descriptions have been completed for staff to receive a copy.
- For our members to have the opportunity to compare the new position description to their old job description.
- Allow for staff to make adjustments to ensure position descriptions are reflective of the actual role.
- Once this has been completed to have the positions re-evaluated.
- Finally for a copy of a skills matrix for salary progression to be created for each position.
While this potentially resolves the issue of position descriptions there are still serious concerns regarding the salary progression structure. The union has requested that council rewrite this to ensure it complies with council’s award obligations that skills-based progression needs to actually relate to the position the employee is in, not long periods of service or extra qualifications and skills required above the positions requirements.
Council has agreed to meet with the Union in our Wollongong office as required to work through the salary system before this matter is finalised.
Further the parties have agreed that higher duties will be paid and if staff are being rejected from this payment employees are to maintain records and lodge formal grievances with council.
We await further conciliation on the 16th August 2019.
