Enterprise Bargaining Update
What’s really going on in negotiations?

On Friday, ART sent us all an email with an update on negotiations for our new enterprise agreement.

Many of us thought that ART’s update meant that things like parental leave and birthday leave are finalised for the new EA.  Since this is not the case, we raised concerns with ART management, and they admitted that those items are not finalised in negotiations, but rather had been previously harmonised.  Confused?  Us too.

Here’s what is really going on.

Is anything locked in?

No.

The ART email suggested entitlements like birthday leave, parental leave and flexible work are “locked in”.

This is not true.  We do not have agreement with ART, and are continuing to negotiate on leave and flexible work to secure leading entitlements that meet our needs.

We are discussing working flexibly in our bargaining meeting on 8 March, and leave on 13 March.

As soon as anything is actually finalised, you’ll hear it here first.

I thought flexible work was agreed – what’s happening now?

After negotiating on flexible work for months, we had reached a clause that provided great flexibility while meeting the needs of ART members.

ART management has now come back with concerns about:

  • How they can address the need for us to come into the office;
  • The process for reaching a team agreement and what happens if an agreement can’t be reached; and
  • The role of managers in making team agreements.

We will continue to work through ART management’s concerns, because we know how much flexible work means to all of us.

How can I have my say?

Click here to tell us what flexible work means to you.

We told ART that flexibility was a top priority for us.

Now we need to hear from you.

We are back at the negotiating table on 8 March 2023 and will be telling ART exactly how much flexibility means to us.

Click on this link to tell us now.

In unity
Team FSU

P.S.  Briefings are happening on the new performance and reward framework. If you have any questions or comment on that, reply to this email and tell us!

TTo join the FSU click the button above or TXT ‘JOIN’ to 0434 160 856

Authorised by Julia Angrisano, National Secretary