Enterprise bargaining continues to evolve

Over the last 12 months ASU members at around 20 Councils have negotiated new enterprise agreements. At least that many again will be renegotiated, with the support of your ASU Workplace Reps and Officials, before the end of this year.

What is achieved reflects the balance of power at negotiation time. For staff, this comes from being well organised and negotiating with the support of a united ASU membership.

Many members have worked cooperatively with management to build on existing conditions and make agreements which take their Councils forward as key deliverers of essential services to their communities.

Others have had to defend hard fought for entitlements and respond to tired trade-off mentality presented by some CEOs with limited vision for their Council's future.

Whether you are in SA working under the state Fair Work Act 1994 or in the NT working under the federal Fair Work Act 2009, it is important to know your rights in bargaining including the specific right to be represented and assisted by your ASU Workplace Reps and Officials.

A few Councils continue to try to dictate to staff what the negotiation process should be and how you are represented. Your ASU approach remains the same; your representation is a matter for you to determine, just as it is a matter for a CEO to determine how management are represented.

Here is a selection of some progressive clauses negotiated over the last year:

• At District Council of Grant, employees have access to a formal mechanism to evaluate and review their workloads when other positions fall vacant.
• At City of Marion, in addition to 12 weeks paid parental leave for the primary caregiver, Council pays superannuation contributions in respect of the entitlements paid to the employee under the Federal Government's Paid Parental Leave Act and during the period of unpaid parental leave taken by eligible female employees up to a maximum of forty weeks.
• At City of Norwood, Payneham and Saint Peters, in addition to fully reimbursing employees for Professional Accreditation fees where that is an essential component of their position, other employees can apply for up to 50% or $500 towards their Professional Association Membership.
• At Port Augusta City Council the parties have agreed to work towards greater environmental efficiency in all Council operations and environmental best practice. The Enterprise Bargaining Committee oversees implementation of this commitment.
• At City of Prospect ASU members have access to up to five days leave per calendar year to attend trade union training courses and ASU Workplace Reps have up to six days training plus attendance at Union conferences.
• At Southern Mallee District Council employees are entitled to three paid Grace Days each year, in addition to public holidays, to be taken between Christmas Day and New Years' Day with the flexibility to use one of the three days for the Pinnaroo Show.
• At City of Tea Tree Gully, casual employees qualify for incremental advancement once they have worked 700 hours in a calendar year.

  Ian Steel - Branch Assistant Secretary

  
  

  Contact Details
  ASU-SANT
  Ph:  08 83631322
  Fax: 08 83632225
  union@asu-sant.asn.au
  http://www.asu-sant.asn.au/