MEMBERS MEETING CALLED TO DISCUSS ACTION!

Following several months of negotiations Parks Victoria management and the combined unions have come to a point where significant matters remain unresolved and are in dispute.

CPSU members should become familiar with exactly what PV management is insisting on and what the union is perusing for members. With our existing EBA nearing its expiry date, members must understand PV s position and what options are available to union members to ensure the progression of these negotiations and our claims for improved resources.

PV are currently offering pay outcome of 3.25% with performance pay averaging 1.8% over the life of the EBA.

CPSU have been perusing changes to our Career Structure to better reflect the improved opportunities in the Victorian Public Sector and provide PV members with recognition now and into the future.

PV has rejected this claim. Not only do they refuse to address the issue but they insist on introducing ceilings on all existing bands.

This would remove substantive performance pay for all employees when the top of their existing bands is reached. PV says if you re already at the top, ‚Äö?Ñ??too bad!!‚Äö?Ñ??

Despite finally agreeing to undertake an independent review of PV s classification and work value, PV management have made it quite clear that irrespective of the outcomes the pay offer, career structure and classification system will not be changed.

This review will include comparisons with agencies such as DSE, DPI, and the New South Wales National Parks and Wildlife.

CPSU has informed PV management that a DSE Forest Ranger has an entry point at VPS Grade 3 ($48,714).

It is examples such as this that CPSU insists requires addressing to ensure that PV employees at least keep pace with your colleagues in the VPS and in turn assist PV attract and retain personnel.

PV s proposal will see staff left behind!

In addition to PV s refusal to address our career structure matters, introducing ceilings to all bands, offering a pay outcome which barely keeps pace with cost of living and is less than many recent salary outcomes in the public sector, PV management are insisting on introducing the following ‚Äö?Ñ??new conditions‚Äö?Ñ??.

• ‚Äö?Ñ??Ongoing Weekend only employees‚Äö?Ñ??

- provisions that will allow management to employ staff on Saturdays and Sundays only.

• ‚Äö?Ñ??Seasonal Employees‚Äö?Ñ??

- ability to employ permanent staff on a seasonal basis for as little as 3 months per year.

• ‚Äö?Ñ??Commercial Employees‚Äö?Ñ??

- PV is insisting on introducing an entirely new career structure for so called ‚Äö?Ñ??commercial employees‚Äö?Ñ??. PV have defined these as staff which may undertake (but not limited to) other duties as cleaners, tour guides, hospitality, retail sales housekeeping and cleaning staff.

These staff would be graded on a 5 band classification structure (not our existing structure) and may be required to undertake duties including Supervising, training, and the coordination of other staff.

PV are proposing to introduce a salary structure that effectively lowers the entry pay point for PV to less than $30,000 and would pay these staff only to a maximum of $36,459.

This is a figure clearly within your existing PV Grade 1 and a salary that is clearly identified within the VPS as training roles!

• ‚Äö?Ñ??Fire and Emergency work‚Äö?Ñ??

- PV are seeking to introduce changes that would result in a single fire allowance. This proposal would replace all allowances with one rolled up allowance. Your current ‚Äö?Ñ??paid 8 hour break‚Äö?Ñ?? would be removed, the allowance only applies while on the fire line, not while traveling to fires. The proposed allowance is removed once a fire is declared ‚Äö?Ñ??under control 2‚Äö?Ñ??. Stand by periods would be increased from 6pm to 8pm and standby rates increased by 5 cents per hour.

These conditions could not be agreed upon for field workers employed in DSE and are currently on trial.

This trial was also directly linked to overall pay outcomes significantly greater than PV s existing pay offer.

Your CPSU/PV Branch section have met and debated the existing situation with our EBA. The group has endorsed the implementation of state wide information sessions with the specific aim of seeking members feedback and an endorsement about the future direction and actions in order to pursue an acceptable outcome for our EBA.

CPSU will be meeting with all PV staff across the state so to arrange a meeting in your area please contact your local CPSU Organiser.

• Melbourne Metro/ City and Bays: - Sarah Parr. 03 9639 1822. or e-mail Sarah Parr
  
• East and South East Victoria: - John Crane 0418 102 257 or e-mail John Carne
  
• West and South West Victoria: - Mike Atkinson 52613366 or e-mail Mike Atkinson

Dates/times and locations of union EBA meetings in your areas will be announced shortly.

Please take the time to attend these meetings and support our actions to peruse an EBA outcome that delivers the additional resources required to make PV a great place to work.

CPSU has 70 EBA s, 15,000 members and 4,400 worksites across Victoria and NSW.

CPSU MEMBERSHIP IS PROTECTION FOR YOUR MOST IMPORTANT ASSET. YOUR JOB.

Speak to a colleague today about the benefits of CPSU membership and have them contribute to our successes rather than just enjoying the benefits.

http://www.cpsuvic.org/public_docs/Work-Can-Change-membership-flyer.pdf
http://www.cpsuvic.org/public_docs/memform.pdf


TOGETHER WE DO BETTER!


KAREN BATT
CPSU Victorian Branch Secretary