The USU and Management have reached an in principle agreement to your negotiations. (See below for key changes to your EA).

Management will now finalise the document and once agreed with the union be distributing communications with you around the final offer.

Management and the USU will be meeting with you all shortly to communicate the document and any changes prior to the vote on your new enterprise agreement.

The feedback provided in this update is to assist you in understanding the changes in this EA. If you have any questions regarding this or wish to speak to an official, please contact you official:

Gosford – Melissa Pond at mpond@usu.org.au
Sydney Olympic Park – Thomas Gao at tgao@usu.org.au

If you are not a member and wish to join you can do so by going to our website usu.org.au/join. Union fees can come out of payroll deductions with the NRMA. All union fees are tax deductible.

USU by your side!

The following list below represents the key changes to your EA.

1. Term of agreement – 3-year term

2. No trade-offs.

3. Wages – 2.5% per year for 3 years

4. Flexibility – new clause allowing for Flexible Working Arrangements to extend to all employees.

5. ME Day – new clause in place of the Picnic Day to ensure that all employees can access this day off when they want to have it.

6. Parental Leave – The Corporate Parental Leave Policy will be referenced in the EA which allows for an increase to employee’s entitlements. Current EA allows for 14 weeks primary care giver and 2 weeks secondary caregiver. Under the new arrangements this will increase to 18 weeks primary care giver and 4 weeks secondary caregiver. Both male and females can be primary caregiver consistent with the Fair Work Act.

7. Domestic Violence Leave – The Corporate Domestic Violence Leave Policy will be referenced in the EA which allows for an increase to employee’s entitlements. Current EA allows for 5 days leave. Under the new arrangements this will increase to 10 days plus increased provisions to assist employees who find themselves victims of DV.

8. Classifications – Classification structure is being changed to allow for employee progression. Employees will be able to move through the band in increments each increment attracts a pay rise. This provides incentives for employees to progress as they will be rewarded for their journey.

The USU also tabled the log of claims with some but not all having an outcome.

9. Compassionate Leave increase to 5 days for immediate family – Management say that this claim would amount to 0.29% of the total package which doesn’t take into account any loss of productivity. Management response was that they did not see much appetite from employees around this and will continue to support employees who suffer a loss of a family member and will support their needs around time off for interstate travel etc.

10. Increase Personal Leave days to include 2 Wellbeing Days to assist working from home. – Management say that the current EA includes 2 extra days for employees after 24 months (2 years) service. Management came back with an alternative around the introduction of a ME day substituting the picnic day which would provide employees with the flexibility to take this day when they want to rather than just on Bank Holiday.

11. Work from Home Allowance $10 per week fulltime employees and $6.50 per week Part time Employees – Management say that the cost for this claim would amount to 0.3% of the total package which included the cost of payroll tax. Management again say that this has not been an issue raised with them and say that if the cost of electricity is prohibitive during the winter months due to the costs for heating, then they can make provisions for employees to come back to the office for that time.

Management also wanted to point out that employees can access benefits such as the 22% employee discount with Simple Energy and 50% discount on NRMA Insurances.

Management’s preference was to provide higher wages increase which the offer being 2.5%

12. Flexible Working Arrangements to extend to all employees – this claim was to recognise that all employees can seek Flexible Working Arrangements not just parents with school age children, over 55 years of age etc. NRMA has taken this on board and agreed to the claim which will open flexibility arrangements for all employees in recognition of the diversity it has across its organisation. The new clause sits at 1.8.7 of the new agreement.

13. Management tabled a claim that the USU has previously mentioned which is to reduce the roster time notice period from 8 weeks to 4 weeks. This is to allow for any sudden requirement for unexpected changes or employees seeking to take urgent annual leave etc. The USU received minimal feedback on this claim with only one member responding. As a result, the claim was accepted on the provision that it was to accommodate what management implied the reason was for.

If members continue to have problems accessing annual leave after this implementation, please contact your union official to help resolve this.