Slater & Gordon management yesterday sent a misleading email to all staff regarding the status of negotiations for the enterprise agreement. Management have claimed that various items have been ‘agreed in principle’.

The USU/ASU is extremely disappointed that management took this step. The email to staff is misleading about the status of the negotiations and management’s claim that staff will receive a ‘real wage increase’. The USU/ASU and your delegates were only given 20 minutes to consider the offer.

Despite months of negotiations by the USU/ASU and your hardworking Slater + Gordon delegates, the facts are that:

  • We are not even close to an agreement with Slater + Gordon because management have rejected many of our Members’ reasonable claims for better pay and conditions; and
  • The wage increases proposed by Slater + Gordon Law Clerks and Support Staff won’t even match CPI over the next 3 years; and
  • Management is proposing a new salary structure which will cut thousands of dollars at the top end of staff pay bands, meaning real wage decreases into the future; and
  • Management is proposing to remove your entitlement to a guaranteed pay increase when you receive a promotion.

This isn’t on, particularly when Slater + Gordon continue to spend big on executive salaries and consultants’ fees. It’s time for fair pay for hardworking staff.

Our next negotiation meeting is scheduled on Thursday, 6 May 2021 – the USU/ASU and your Slater + Gordon delegates will then have a real opportunity to consider management’s offer in greater detail and continue to raise matters that have not yet been addressed or finalised. The USU/ASU will organise a members’ meeting after the negotiation meeting to hear your feedback.

Join the Union!

Now is the time to join the Union, to put pressure on Slater + Gordon for a fair pay deal.

There is strength in numbers, and we have a better chance to secure a good deal for staff the more Members we have at the firm. Join now at www.usu.org.au/join

For more information contact your delegates or USU Organiser Mick Jones on 0450 020 589.