We met with Maurice Blackburn management on 23rd November 2015 and it was one of the shortest meetings ever. In an unorthodox move for the second EBA meeting the firm just wanted to talk about why we are claiming a 5% per year pay rise, they did not want to ask questions about any of the other 19 claims we have made and did not seem very keen to answer questions from your negotiators either. At the end of the meeting the four HR reps also advised your delegates that the firm has appointed Sam Eichenbaum, Partner at Rigby Cooke Lawyers to be their bargaining representative at negotiations.
Your National Negotiating Team (NNT) answered all the firm's questions – we believe the firm is able to pay our claims. We have invited the partners to make a presentation to your NNT about how the firm is travelling we await a response as to whether they will do this.
Your NNT have looked at public wage information from the legal industry published by Mahlab and Hudson and we think Maurice Blackburn can be described as a major firm – the firm's reps seem to dispute this. Management rely on other information they have received but which they would not disclose to your team.
Request for information – time for the commission
We still have not received the bonus and wage information we requested from the firm on 21st September 2015. We have had promises we would receive something and then we have had refusals to provide what is requested.
This stalling has been quite disappointing so your negotiating team believe our only alternative was to lodge proceedings in the Fair Work Commission to get the information we requested. We did this on 20th November 2015.
We now have a hearing date in Melbourne on Thursday 26th November 2015 at 10am before Commissioner Cirkovic. We will keep you posted on how this goes. If members want a copy of our application contact your local ASU delegates or organiser.
What next?
Our next meeting with the company is on 7th & 8th December 2015. On 3rd December 2015 we expect to receive the company's log of claims and we will then program time to discuss the company's claims with members.
Time to join the ASU
If you are not an ASU member now is the time to join you can join online now at our secure form: https://www.asu.asn.au/asujoin
If you need more information contact your locals ASU organiser or delegate (download the full bulletin below for details).
Maurice Blackburn Bulletin - 23 November 2015