Picnic Day dispute ends in an exclusive holiday for Union Members at Penrith City Council.

On Thursday 29 October the Industrial Relations Commission handed down a recommendation supporting Union members long running campaign to keep Union Picnic Day for Union Members only.

After months of hearings, negotiations, mass meetings, and extraordinary member action, discussions between your Union and Council, an agreement has been reached to resolve the Penrith City Council Picnic Day Dispute.

The settlement terms:

  1. Union Picnic Day is to be an ordinary day of work for employees who are not financial members of the relevant unions and the provisions of clause 22B (Union Picnic Day) of the Local Government (State) Award 2023 shall apply
  2. Effective from Union Picnic Day 2026, Pcc shall cease its practice of providing employees who are not financial members of the relevant unions to a discretionary day off on Union Picnic Day. For the avoidance of doubt the practice shall cease as of Union Picnic Day 2026
  3. The Unions are to provide PCC with the list of members 6 weeks in advance of Union Picnic Day PD.

The offer of settlement is not inconsistent with the recommendation made by Commissioner Howell on 29 October 2025 and is informed by and extends from the recommendation made.

While this was a challenging dispute, we thank Council for its openness in working with us to reach a practical outcome.