Optus EPA: negotiations progress
The second enterprise bargaining meeting between CWU and Optus was held on Friday August 28.
The meeting addressed certain changes to the current agreement that need to be made to bring it into line with the new Optus modern award.
We are still considering some details of wording around hours of work and health and safety representative training.
We also began discussion of items contained in the CWU’s log of claims, including an increase in the amount of leave available for emergency duty and the provision of a domestic violence leave entitlement.
The union is optimistic about getting a positive result in both these areas, though discussion is continuing as to whether or not to provide a specific amount of domestic violence leave.
Future meetings will address the claims that the CWU has tabled on pay, redundancy entitlements and redundancy procedures.
It will also consider a further matter raised by the CWU about the grading level at which certain entitlements (overtime payments, start and finish times, on-call provisions) cease to apply.
Members have told the CWU they believe the current exemption structure is unfair and also acts as a disincentive to their seeking promotion to higher levels.
The next bargaining meeting is scheduled for Thursday 3 September.
