It has come to the United Services Union’s attention, through some of our members, that NRMA Management have been scheduling off the phone meetings with employees covered by the Enterprise Agreement to discuss the NRMA’s offer of 2.5% per year for the new Enterprise Agreement.

This comes on the back of our last meeting with NRMA Management on the 22nd January 2019 where we delivered your response given to us that 2.5% per year was totally inadequate given the rising cost of living and the fact that you have taken on a lot more work through additional products and services since the last Enterprise Agreement negotiations which has helped deliver the NRMA the massive profits they have reported on last year.

The NRMA’s response was the Executive endorsed 2.5% which was consistent with the other recent Enterprise Agreements they negotiated and 2.5% was it. They then said that they would have to take back our response to the Executive and asked us for some time in order to do this and that they would request a meeting once this has been discussed.

We find out now that they are going back to you with the same message that they GAVE us on the 22nd January 2019, that the Executive endorsed 2.5% and that’s it!

Enterprise Bargaining is the process of negotiation generally between the employer, employees and their bargaining representatives with the goal of making an enterprise agreement. The Fair Work Act 2009 establishes a set of clear rules and obligations about how this process is to occur, including rules about bargaining, the content of enterprise agreements, and how an agreement is made and approved.

While there is no rule that says that an employer cannot meet with employees to discuss the offer currently on the table, we need to point out that it is YOUR decision to either accept or reject management’s offer and it’s YOUR right to do so! Remember this is a negotiation process!

If you feel that 2.5% is not going to meet the rising costs of living, then you do have the right to reject the NRMA’s offer and send them back to the bargaining table to discuss. This is consistent with our last meeting to the NRMA following the feedback we received from you after our last report on the NRMA offer.

TELL US WHAT YOU THINK
We would appreciate your thoughts and comments regarding the offer especially if you still believe that the current offer is not enough. Please send though your comments to your Bargaining Representative Erin Axford or Officials Melissa Pond mpond@usu.org.au or Emily Callachor ecallachor@usu.org.au

If you are not a union member and wish to join, you can join here.