Thanks to all the staff across Australia who have filled out the ASU Maurice Blackburn EBA survey. The results are now in and shortly we will be holding meetings of members across the country to endorse the log of claims that your ASU delegates are recommending arising from the survey.
We had a great response to the survey and understand exactly what members want to achieve in this round of bargaining.
Notice of employee rights
The Fair Work Act requires the firm to provide all employees who are to be covered by the proposed agreement with a notice outlining your rights. The firm has recently sent this notice out.
Negotiators of EBAs are called "bargaining representatives".
Members of the ASU do not have to do anything about the appointment of a bargaining representative – the ASU is automatically your bargaining representative and the ASU negotiating team made up of ASU delegates and officials will conduct the negotiations for ASU members.
If you are not an ASU member now is the time to join so you can have a say about the claim and be represented by our team. You can join online now at our secure form: www.asu.asn.au/asujoin
Negotiating Team Training
Before we commence bargaining your National Negotiating Team is coming together in Melbourne on 5 August 2015 for a union training day about the bargaining and negotiating process.
Our current Agreement provides for paid union training. Unfortunately the firm refused to pay the cost of the flights and accommodation for interstate delegates proposing instead that our day long training be conducted by video conference to save carbon.
That is an unusual stance for a large national company. In our experience these companies generally will pay for delegates to come together for training. We thought it would be an ideal opportunity for the firm's negotiators and our team to meet face to face and plan negotiations but the firm did not want to have such a meeting to coincide with our training.
Unfortunately it wasn't to be but we are all looking forward to training and planning our bargaining.
Union members are paying to get your delegates together to ensure they are ready to go in bargaining.
Download the EBA NNT brochure to find out who's on the Team
What's next?
It is important to attend your local meeting to consider the draft claim – watch out for details.
Want more information?
If you need more information contact your locals ASU organiser or delegate (download the full bulletin below for details).