Decipha EA breakthrough
The CWU has achieved a breakthrough in negotiations for a new Enterprise Agreement with Decipha. This breakthrough comes after the union and members rejected Decipha’s plan to cut their pay offer from 3%pa to 1½% and 1½%pa so as to pay for their agreeing to extend the 15% shift penalty from 4am to 8am (currently 4am-6am).
Key elements of the proposed new Agreement are:
Better Pay
- 3 years of pay increases that will deliver: 3% in October 2015, 3% in October 2016 and 3% in October 2017.
- Extension of the early shift penalty that will deliver 15% for all work performed between the hours of 4am and 8am.
- Increase the meal allowance and first aid allowance to bring them in line with the modern Award. These allowances and the forklift allowance will continue to be adjusted in line with wage increases for the life of the Agreement.
New Conditions
- Convert regular additional hours of part-time employees to contracted hours.
- A job search entitlement of 1 day (paid) where an employee is given notice of termination.
The CWU and Decipha will meet later this week to finalise the package. The union will conduct member consultation in coming weeks.
While we did not achieve everything we sought in bargaining, we did achieve what members said was critical: a fair pay increase and an extended early start penalty.
Members have earned this. Non-members also benefit from the hard work of members. Members in all workplaces should let non-members know that it is about time they joined the union.
Together we are stronger.
