EBA9: Authorised Holiday under attack ... Again!
Just over three years ago, during EBA8 negotiations, Australia Post laid out its proposal to remove the Authorised Holiday (Union Picnic Day) and afford employees with an additional ARL day instead.
The proposal didn’t go very far. Members reacted immediately and with incredible volume to this ridiculous proposal and suffice to say, your Union formally opposed the proposal resulting in an EBA8 that protected the Authorised Holiday without any change.
Now, it’s not déjà vu, it’s not another Back to the Future sequel and we promise you it’s not a joke — they’ve seriously just tried it on again.
Though the amazing thing here is; formal negotiations for a new EBA9 haven’t even commenced yet!
Management have just dropped it on your National Officials during discussions earlier this month without warning.
We couldn’t wait to tell you — and to ask for your reaction and thoughts. But first, let’s recap on what we told you last time.
This extra day off during the festive season is for two reasons:
- It is an acknowledgement of the additional effort employees across the Corporation contribute over the festive season to ensure the public’s Christmas cards and gifts are delivered in a timely and proper manner.
- There is a blanket ban on the availing of annual leave entitlements in operational areas during this period, which leaves many members in a position of not being able to enjoy this special time of the year with their friends and families.
Your Union still feels that any change to the entitlement to the Authorised Holiday during the festive season would, over time, diminish the reason for it. And we still feel that it potentially could be lost forever in future EBAs as management slowly forget that an “Authorised Holiday” or “Picnic Day” ever existed.
Further, a number of members who have already completed their EBA9 survey have highlighted approval of annual leave and long service leave entitlements due to insufficient staffing levels as a significant issue.
Adding 30,000 additional annual leave days into the mix will not make members’ plight for approved leave any easier.
Literally thousands of members have reacted strongly in opposition already. In fairness — we have received one email from a member who actually supports the move.
If you’d still like to have your say you can do so by visiting www.eba9.com.au/feedback.
