The Sydney SGM voted this morning to amend Question 2, replacing the words “04/2017 on 9 February” with “06/2017 on 14 February”. The proposed Permanent Award being voted upon is therefore the Award attached to SITREP 6. The proposed Retained Award remains unchanged from SITREPs 4 & 5. For further Sub-Branch meeting information see SITREPs 5 and 6.
the removal of the proposed LF changes. While the State Committee remains of the view that these were positive changes (see SITREP 5’s Permanent Award overview), the officials are also aware of the controversy around it and have withdrawn all LF changes in favour of “J Relieving” instead (see below).
the provision of “J Relievers” at up to 13 country stations (only), where this form of relieving is already occurring (contrary to the Award). A current J Reliever is paid the relieving allowance of $67.36 per 24 hr shift for relieving across two platoons and across multiple stations. They can be changed from one platoon to the other with 8 days notice. A new J Reliever will be given 28 days notice of a change of platoon but be paid 50% of the relieving allowance ($33.68 per 24 hr shift) if they relieve only at their own station, or 150% of the allowance ($101.04 per 24 hr shift) if they are expected to relieve across two platoons at multiple stations. The Union gave the Department notice over 12 months ago that we would enforce the Award if we did not get agreement for J and Z Relievers within this new Award. If members reject the proposed Award then the J and Z relieving system will cease to operate on Friday.
An improved Regional Training Roster at 8.6a for Op Support Senior Instructors Country, who following consultation now support a trial of this roster.
The reversion to Op Support Inspector and withdrawal of Op Support Level 3. The Department repeatedly rejected this change, which the Union continued to press as late as last evening. The Union will continue to argue for this change, but agreement is not possible with this Award.
A new Union-proposed subclause 17.9a that allows members who give 64 weeks or less written notice of their date of resignation (including retirement) to defer taking any annual leave that falls due until immediately prior to leaving, or to instead be paid for that leave on exit. This was proposed on the reasoning that a member who is 3 months off retirement is unlikely to want or need a month’s annual leave.
It is already clear that everyone agrees with at least some aspects of the proposed Awards. This has led some members to ask why we can’t vote on each new provision separately? The answer is that our Awards are negotiated as package deals. If we reject one of the Department’s claims then it responds by rejecting one or more of ours, and it doesn’t take long before the whole deal unravels. A no vote for either Q1 or Q2 will mean that all changes in that Award – theirs and ours – will not proceed.
Leighton Drury
State Secretary
A printable copy of this SITREP is available by clicking here.
For a copy of the proposed Award showing all of the changes between the 2016 Permanent Award and the now-proposed Award click here.
