Tag: Australia

Labor today promised that Australia Post would remain in full public ownership, while guaranteeing the price of a 50 cent stamp would not rise in its first term of office. Opposition communications spokesman Lindsay Tanner said Labor would retain Australia Post’s Community Service Obligations in full to ensure that all customers continued to receive a standard letter service at the same price. “A Labor government will retain Australia Post in full public ownership so it can continue to deliver decent postal services to all Australians,” he said.

A planned strike by Australia Post staff tomorrow has been delayed in hope an 11th-hour agreement can be reached. A negotiator from the ACTU will hold meetings with Australia Post Wednesday(18th) and Thursday(19th). Communications, Electrical and Plumbers Union Cairns spokesman Mark Wilson said the members were hopeful the ACTU negotiator could help get a sound outcome without a walkout. “That would be great. We would prefer that to striking,” Mr Wilson said. The planned industrial action was to be the second strike since May in a bid for more pay and better working conditions.

Mail services in Queensland will be disrupted this week if planned industrial action by Australia Post staff goes ahead.

The stoppages would hit Queensland and NSW sites for between four and 24 hours on Wednesday.

Communications Electrical and Plumbing Union state secretary Cameron Thiele said the 92 per cent of Australia Post staff who were also union members could also stop work on Thursday if desired revisions to a new enterprise bargaining agreement were not met.

“Our members don’t accept the terms of the pay rise and they also want the agreement shortened to 24 months,” he said.

About 35,000 postal workers will get a four per cent pay rise from Monday, in an Australia Post bid to sideline the militant communications union.

The automatic rise has been granted despite the failure of six months of talks between the parties to reach a formal enterprise agreement.

Australia Post spokesman Matt Pollard said it was hoped the payment would break the resolve of union members to take further industrial action.