Lend Lease EA update.
The CWU met with Lend Lease on Tuesday 8 November to continue bargaining for a new Enterprise Agreement covering telecommunications work.
At present a section of the company’s telecoms workforce, based in Victoria, is working under an old agreement that reached its expiry date in 2011.
The rest have basically been working to the minimum conditions (except for pay) set out in the award.
Lend Lease now says it wants an agreement that reflects current “industry standards” with the current Visionstream Field Workforce Agreement as a benchmark. This could mean a loss of conditions (e.g. the 36 ¾ hour week) for some employees and improvements for others, depending on the final outcome of negotiations.
Based on consultations with members and other employees, the CWU is arguing for:
- A 36 ¾ hour week/ 9 day fortnight
- Employer payments to a portable redundancy scheme
- Superannuation to be increased to 10%
- A total travel time “give” of 90 minutes (45 minutes each way) – management proposing 120 minutes.
- Increase to on-call allowance.
Negotiations are still at a relatively early stage but it is important that CWU members and all other employees keep themselves informed about their progress.
Contact your state branch for further information.
