In this issue:

• Petty cash for meal and refreshment allowances – it’s the law
• ESS (T&E) Claims – oh those problems?!
• Financial relief for June/Sept 2011 stop works – 1 May deadline
• May Day March 2012 – Sunday 6 May
• 2012 Death and Disability Award filed
• Regional Hazmat and Comms Selection Procedures

The Full Bench of the NSW Industrial Relations Commission (IRC) handed down a new D&D Award last Monday, 26 February following 18 months of long and difficult negotiations between the Union and the Public Employment Office. [Read more]

Those members who are covered by the Death and Disability Award should have received their annual statements from the Death and Disability Fund recently. We’ve had some inquiries from some members whose statements indicate they don’t have any entitlements under the D&D Fund. [Read more]

After months of protracted and futile negotiations between the Government, the Department and the Union we have finally been able to successfully contain the discussions to the two parties with a real say in the matter – Government and the FBEU. [Read more]

Inside this notice:

• Special Case update
• Extra consolidated leave
• Sick leave monitoring
• Retained SASS members and D&D
• Drug and Alcohol Policy

[Read more]

For the benefit of all members, following on from the previous two explanatory notices are these final couple of questions. [Read more]

As previously advised, Special General Meetings will be held over the coming week to allow all Union members present to vote to accept or reject the proposed D&D Award. All FBEU members, permanent and retained, are therefore encouraged to attend any one of the following meetings: [Read more]

1. Introduction

These notes should be read in conjunction with the proposed D&D Award which can be found (in pdf format) on the Union’s website.

The negotiated agreement is quite complex, and this commentary is intended as a general guide only to help inform members in your decision to accept or reject the proposed Award. Any additional questions (and there are bound to be many) can be submitted to the Union’s officials by way of email, fax or telephone – or better still, in person at one of the meetings to be held in the coming week. [Read more]

Inside this notice:

• D&D Dispute: Agreement reached today on new Award
• Permanents’ 5% wage increase today
• Union elections

[Read more]

At 1300 hours today, our Union commenced rolling strike action to force the settlement of our never-ending D&D Dispute prior to the State Election on 22 March.  [Read more]