After months of bargaining, industrial action, and a formal dispute before the NSW Industrial Relations Commission, USU members at Riverina Water have secured a hard-fought new award outcome, delivering a 15% wage increase over three years and several key entitlements that will benefit members well into the future.
The outcome follows strong collective action by members, including walking off the job on two occasions and filing a bargaining dispute focused on hours and wage pay.
USU members vigorously sought equal working hours for employees on the same grade. Currently, outdoor staff at Riverina Water work 38 hours a week, while indoor staff on the same salary band work just 35 hours, a discrepancy that equates to nearly a month of unpaid work each year. Whilst in this round of bargaining we did were unsuccessful in achieving full harmonisation of working hours to a 35-hour week for all employees, the final wins achieved are a testament to member solidarity and strategic advocacy.
Key Award Outcomes
- Wages:
A total increase of 15% over three years, delivered as:
• 6% in Year One
• 4% in Year Two
• 5% in Year Three - Workplace Flexibility:
Extension of flexible working arrangements to all employees, not limited to those with family responsibilities. This reflects growing recognition of the importance of work-life balance for all workers. - 26% On-Call Allowance Increase:
Acknowledging the disruption and responsibility carried by workers on standby on call allowance increase by 26% to around $577 per week. - Long Service Leave Enhancements:
Members will now be able to access Long Service Leave one day at a time, providing greater control over their accrued entitlements. - Right to Disconnect:
A new “right to disconnect” clause has been secured, a significant achievement in the current digital age that supports boundaries between work and personal life. - Travel and Living Away from Home Provisions:
Clause 42 will now enable employees to elect to have travel allowance paid for training and conferences, instead of mandatory use of the corporate card. Additionally, the Living Away from Home Allowance will apply where relevant. - Job Evaluation System Review:
The unions also demanded and secured a commitment from management to finalise the review of the OCR Job Evaluation System, a long-standing issue impacting role classification and fairness across the workforce.
Our Strength Is in Our Unity
This result would not have been possible without the strong, united stand taken by members. The campaign was marked by courageous decisions to take industrial action, walking off the job not once, but twice. Actions that sent a clear a clear message that members will not stand by while critical claims are ignored.
Despite disappointment around the rejection of harmonising hours, this outcome still reflects meaningful progress in wages and workplace conditions. It shows that even against resistance, collective action can deliver results with above average outcomes.
We will continue to pursue further improvements, including revisiting the issue of working hours and wages into the future. For now, this is a moment to acknowledge the strength and commitment of delegates, bargaining representatives and members of the collective unions who helped make this result possible.
