A member of the USU who is employed as a librarian at the Upper Hunter Shire Council recently approached USU Organiser Stuart Stark regarding Council’s alleged failure to offer her any salary progression for almost 2 years.
Our member, Rebecca Bowman felt that she had fallen between the cracks due to alleged instability in her reporting line during this time and that her new supervisor was allegedly unfamiliar with Council’s salary progression system. Despite what is claimed were repeated requests for progression by the USU member to Council’s People and Culture section, she allegedly only would receive promises to “look into it” and never eventuated into any meaningful progress.
A grievance was lodged with the employer in accordance with the Award, and after follow-up calls from the USU Organiser, a meeting took place. During the meeting, P&C admitted that this had been a huge oversite and that Rebecca was entitled to progress 2 steps with backpay and with the option to sit for the remaining steps with her supervisor. This outcome is being signed off and sent to Council’s payroll at the time of writing.
While Rebecca’s case is not isolated, her decision to seek Union support and follow the grievance process as set out in the Local Government (State) Award acts as an example to USU members and non-members alike of the advantage of being a member of the USU.
Without the advice that she had received as well as the USU’s representation, Rebecca may not have known of her Award rights and the Award process to lodge her grievance with Council, which would have meant she would be still missing out on her award-mandated salary progression through her position’s salary range.
