Changes to 2019 Australia Post Authorised Holiday
Members are most probably aware of Australia Post’s changes to the 2019 Authorised Holiday.
For some time now, Australia Post has expressed their desire to dump the Authorised Holiday altogether and, instead, provide all employees with an additional day credit in their Annual Recreation Leave (ARL) balances. They attempted this twice through the bargaining process over the past two rounds of EBA talks. However, their claim was withdrawn on both occasions following backlash from employees.
The provision of the Authorised Holiday is actually contained in a Principal Determination given authority by legislation. A provision within the Principal Determination is what allows Australia Post to actually provide the additional holiday. Despite not achieving the outcome they were seeking through the EBA process, management have not let-go of the matter and earlier last year sought to unilaterally vary the application of the holiday using mechanisms available to them under common-law. Your Union has engaged in consultation on the matter ever since.
Since we last wrote to you on the matter, Australia Post had undertaken a survey process with every employee to identify those who wish to avail of the Authorised Holiday as an additional credit to their ARL balances, and those who wish to avail of the day on a date as gazetted by the company.
That exercise has concluded and those members that elected to avail of the Authorised Holiday as an additional credit to their ARL balances should by now have received that credit. Members also have the option to cash out the additional day.
For those who elected to continue to receive the day as a gazetted holiday, the company has since determined for the holiday to occur on 7 February 2020. Recognising that this day did not occur in the 2019 calendar year, Post have advised that a further additional Authorised Holiday will occur within the same 2020 calendar year.
Management claim that 94% of employees participated in Post’s expression of interest process – with 86% of those employees nominating to have the 2019 Authorised Holiday credited to their ARL balance, rather than having the day-off on the gazetted date.
While we respect the wishes of our members, we will be seeking your feedback directly on this matter as part of a survey of CEPU members which will occur shortly, in preparation for EBA10 negotiations. The Union survey process will be used to capture the validity of your preferences and to determine how widely felt the matter may be for the purpose of possible inclusion as a claim on your behalf in bargaining for EBA10.
I would urge every member to ensure they participate in this important Union process when it commences over the next few weeks.
Until then, if you have any concerns about your preferences, please do not hesitate to contact your State Branch Official for assistance.
