Australia Post Fair Work Agreement finalised

Australia Post staff has finalised negotiations with the CEPU and the CSPU for a new Fair Work Agreement (FWA) that will award staff with pay increases of up to 10% over three years, protect penalty rates, and offer enhanced benefits such as the cashing out of annual leave. The agreement comes just four months after the unions and newly appointed CEO and managing director, Ahmed Fahour, signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) in March signalling a fresh start for Australia Post’s industrial relations.

“The Fair Work Agreement is a three-year deal and provides staff and the business with the stability and certainty to focus on protecting and defending our existing products and services in the face of a changing business environment,” said Fahour.

“I am proud that the Fair Work Agreement sets the framework for a collaborative and consultative approach to workplace relations and allows us to get on with the job of winning new business,” he said.

“This is a balanced agreement that engages and protects people’s rights, while also allowing the business to meet its challenges. It gives us a shared sense of hope for the future and gives us confidence that we can all meet these challenges together. ”

“We’re pleased to have reached this agreement with the CEPU and the CSPU, and the decision is now with our people to determine whether they vote to accept this new FWA,” said Fahour.

All staff will be mailed the 100-page document before voting in a ballot.

Key points of the Fair Work Agreement are as follows:

• Pay – pay increases of up to 10%* over three years – which is the equivalent of a 3% increase each year.
• Cashing out of annual leave – staff who have accumulated more than six weeks, or four weeks for shift workers, will be able to “cash out” this entitlement once a year.
• RRR process – this benefit (established in 1995) will remain in place and will not change and where there are instances of redeployment, retraining or redundancies, consultation will take place, with a major focus on retraining and redeployment.
• Penalty rates – shift penalty rates are recognised as an important part of an employee’s take home pay. Where possible existing shift penalty rates will remain and any changes to shift times will require consultation by all parties at the senior level.
• Maternity leave – a one week increase in maternity leave from 13 weeks to 14 weeks.
• A continued commitment to safety – the unions and Australia Post will work together to reach a safety agreement that offers greater safety in the workplace. There have also been major changes to the management of injured workers, with a focus on employees choosing to access their own family doctor in the event of a workplace injury to treat and manage their safe return back into the workplace.
• Flexible workplace arrangements – strengthening of flexible work hours – including the request for caring for a child.
• Uniforms – a new national committee established to review and have input into any uniform and protective clothing changes as well as the commitment for establishing workplace focus groups to obtain employee feedback on changes prior to and after implementation.

*3% of the pay increases will be based on meeting service performance and an overall increase in letters, parcels and international mail. This is consistent with Australia Post’s focus on business performance, which is directly linked to providing better service for customers.