CWU demands consultation over job cuts
Last week the CWU Divisional Office filed a dispute notice in the FWC about Australia Post’s failure to consult the union on 900 job cuts. They are mainly in Melbourne and Sydney. FWC heard the matter this week. Divisional Secretary, Dan Dwyer said the union knew nothing about the job cuts and was taken by surprise by media reports on the long weekend of 9 June that 900 jobs were set to be cut and every day delivery of standard-priced mail was in jeopardy. When the CWU met with Australia Post on the Tuesday following the long weekend about the job cuts Post had nothing to say.
Hence, the union notified a dispute in the FWC. CWU sought an undertaking from Australia Post that it will comply with its obligations under the EBA to consult the union at the National level before decisions are made so that the union and its members can have the opportunity to influence decisions.
The outcome of the FWC conference is that Australia Post has agreed that CWU National Divisional Office will be a leading part of consultation process. There will be a report back conference at FWC in six weeks’ time. In the meantime consultation on the 900 job cuts has been scheduled.
