Last week we had three days of negotiations for our new Enterprise Agreement – we apologise for the delay in updating you.
It’s a huge project to create an enterprise agreement for ART from scratch. The Finance Sector Union team is proud to represent your interests on pay, flexible work and other important issues, but we know that progress has been frustratingly slow.
Finance Sector Union Priorities
Here is a summary of some of our top priorities that we presented last week and our current assessment.
Pay
We called for a pay increase in real terms that keeps pace with the cost of living and recognises the important contribution you make at ART.
We have all been feeling the brunt of the rising costs– increasing electricity, food, rent and mortgage repayments. The Consumer Price Index is at a staggering 7.8% – the highest since 1990.Pay increases need to keep us ahead of the cost of living.
We proposed a 5% base pay increase on top of the 3% already provided in July 2022, backdated to 1 July 2022. The increase we are calling for would total 8% for all staff from 1 July 2022 to stay just ahead of inflation.
Assessment:
The ART management bargaining team is considering an approach to pay which falls short of the cost of living.
We will be discussing with ART how the rising cost of living is impacting everyone at ART, and why our pay increase needs to ensure we are not going backwards.
Superannuation
We are calling for superannuation contributions that are consistent for all, represent best practice across the industry super sector, and provide us all a dignified retirement. We shared that the best practice in industry super is a 17% employer contribution.
Assessment:
The current proposals from the ART management team would not see us having leading superannuation entitlements when compared to the best industry super fund superannuation entitlements. We will continue to tell ART management why leading super matters to us.
Leave
Our leave entitlements should allow us to have a break from work to protect our wellbeing. Leave is also there when things go wrong, or we need more support.
Our leave proposal is progressive, fair and responsible. We’re suggesting entitlements including more parental leave accessible to all, enhanced sick leave, and leave to support ART being a workplace of choice for all.
Assessment:
While we made some progress on leave, the ART management bargaining team are still considering some of the important leave items. We will update you when they have responded.
Redundancy
Change is coming at ART. It will bring opportunity, but we also need to prepare for restructures. In communications with the FSU, ART have said there is no intent for large-scale redundancies at ART, however if redundancies do become a reality, we need to have strong protections in place.
When things change, we need choice and control in our future at ART. If we cannot find a role and need to leave, our retrenchment payments need to be fair.
Current Situation:
We shared that all staff covered by the EA should have good and equal redundancy provisions going forward and no-one should go backwards. ART management team is considering our proposals.
Workloads, Staffing and Performance
With workloads high across ART, our normal workloads need to be achievable in our ordinary working hours. This means proper staffing, and fair performance objectives that are set in consultation with us. Performance appraisals need to take into account workloads, staffing and our personal circumstances.
Current Situation:
This needs to be discussed further with ART management bargaining team. We have explained the high and often unmanageable workloads for many and look forward to finding solutions.
Training and Development
As ART evolves, we need to have access to development opportunities to prepare us for the Fund of the future. This means we will work with ART to proactively identify opportunities before our roles are impacted, and have the time and resources to grow our skills and experience.
Current situation:
There was some progress on this topic and we look forward to further discussion.
ART has committed to going away and actively considering everything we have proposed. We’re looking forward to hearing back from them!
How can you get involved?
Click here to join our EA WhatsApp Group.
Click here to receive emailed EA updates.
To provide feedback and get in touch, email bargaining@fsunion.org.au
We’ll be in touch soon with another update, and keep an eye out for some upcoming workshops!
In unity,
Your FSU Bargaining Team
