ETSA Utilities Sets Strategic Direction

The Single Bargaining Unit (SBU) is the representative of Unions in the power industry that meet on a regular basis to discuss issues of mutual interest. At its meeting on Tuesday 22 November the SBU was addressed by ETSA Utilities representatives about a number of issues. Some of these matters have a direct impact on ASU and other Union members.

1. 'Future Skills Project' - more information will be provided when it becomes available.
2. Annual leave accrual issue - All employees will have received communication from ETSA Utilities about their plans to reduce the level of accrued annual leave. ETSA have said "this is an attempt to get to the other end of the problem as smoothly as possible"
3. ETSA have adopted a strategic development path and will be undertaking productivity studies in the next months and years on

• pole manufacturing

• street light repairs

• minor customer connections

• undergrounding residential

• vegetation management

• rigging and civils

• meter maintenance

• fleet

• warehousing

• shared services (HR, IT, property)

As we get more information about this strategic direction we will keep members informed through newsletters.

ETSA notify changes to Customer Connections

Advice has been received from ETSA Utilities that a new interactive web application system is to be adopted allowing "electricians, electrical contractors etc to book their connections, access requests on line and track their progress" and that ETSA Utilities will be undertaking "further internal development" which will be a period "of approximately 6 months".

ETSA have advised "The eventual adoption of this new system has the potential to impact on some employees currently involved in the manual process" .

After the introduction of the new interactive system ETSA expect "there will be a further period of 6 - 12 months during which time the take up rate will increase to a level where the impact on the employee's current roles will begin to be evident".

The ASU will seek further information from ETSA management about the proposed changes proposed - in particular whether there will be a restructuring of jobs or workload, diminution of job opportunities or tenure, the need for retraining or transfer of employees to other work or work locations or any other matter which may have a significant effect on members employed in Customer Connections. If you have any questions please contact your ASU Energy Organiser Ian Heard on 8363 1322.

ETSA'S HEAVY HAND ON YOUR ANNUAL LEAVE

ETSA HR Manager John Fleetwood has written to the SBU about the intention "of ETSA Utilities to take steps to reduce our existing (and growing) annual leave accrual liability" and to notify and consult with the SBU.

ETSA have detailed the steps that they intend to introduce to "deal with this matter" - these are (in brief):

1. "without exception requirement that all employees must take as a minimum their 4 weeks entitlement each year."

2. "without exception requirement" that employees with large accruals must take extra leave on a sliding scale as below:

In excess of 600 hours accrual must take 8 weeks total (15 employees)
Between 450 & 600 hours must take 7 weeks total (40 employees)
Between 300 & 450 hours must take 6 weeks total (200 employees)
Between 200 & 300 hours must take 5 weeks total (450 employees)

3. Leaders will be responsible to ensure employees take leave at the stipulated levels.

4. ETSA Utilities can give employees 4 weeks notice to take leave after consultation and negotiation exhausted.

5. The requirement will continue until ETSA Utilities consider annual leave accruals have reached acceptable levels.

Management's view is to not even think of cashing out any or part of the accrued annual leave as this "option will be neither explored nor adopted".

ASU workplace representatives have discussed this matter and will raise the following points with John Fleetwood in a letter:

ETSA say their correspondence is to "notify and consult" with the SBU however they have set out mandatory "without exception" provisions that do not point to a consultative approach.

ETSA Utilities maintain that they will only "consider taking the recourse" to giving 4 weeks notice to force the taking of leave they have also indicated this will only be after "full consultation and negotiation with the employee " is exhausted. The ASU is not filled with optimism about the level of consultation that will occur where it is exhibited by the correspondence.

The situation is completely of ETSA's making by either not allowing employees to take leave or by being compliant in allowing people to bank up leave. It's a bit rich for ETSA to now force people to take leave "without exception".

Your ASU will also want an assurance that leave arrangements required under this regime will not compromise health and safety at the workplace or produce unmanageable workload issues for those on the job or returning from leave.

The ASU has taken this matter back to the SBU and a letter will now be sent to ETSA requesting discussions over this 'policy change'.

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