The ASU is recommending that you vote "NO" to the NEAMI agreement. Here are the reasons why:
1. Miniscule Wage Increases
NEAMI is making only the minimum pay increases required to satisfy the Equal Remuneration Order (this means NEAMI gets increased funding, not all of which is passed on to employees).
2. Rigid Flexible Work Arrangements
NEAMI has included a clause to allow particular employees access flexible work arrangements however has added a clause to prevent workers from taking disputes about this to the Fair Work Commission and have the dispute assessed by an independent umpire.
3. Consumer Support Delivery Workers Under-Classified
NEAMI still refuses to do anything about the fact that consumer support delivery workers are under-classified compared to the Award (and compared to similar organisations such as Mind and Prahran Mission!). We even asked NEAMI if they would be interested in working with PSWs and CRSWs during the life of the enterprise agreement to properly review their classifications – they have outright refused.
4. Superannuation Stinginess
The current EBA's superannuation clause increases superannuation from 9.5% to 12% by 2019. Neami agreed to this in 2013 and has presumably budgeted yet the proposed EBA removes this benefit by freezing the superannuation at the current, minimum required rate of 9.5%.
5. Overtime Parsimony
The proposed EBA will pay overtime at the standard hourly rate, i.e. your extra work will not be recognized with an hourly rate of time and a half and/or double time. This is simply unfair to employees working overtime.
What happens next?
Now is your chance to say NO to the agreement.
If there is a NO vote:
The ASU will make management come back to the negotiating table and put up a better offer.
If there is a YES vote:
The ASU can still challenge the approval of the EBA in the Fair Work Commission (FWC) if this is what our members want, but this may delay the whole process for several months, and may still see a disappointing EBA set the pay and conditions of your work for the next three years.
YOU DESERVE BETTER. VOTE NO!
If you have any questions, please contact your local organiser (download the full bulletin for details).
Neami Bulletin - 20 October 2015