Silcar Communications: management puts improved offer.
Silcar Communications (now part of Visionstream) has made an improved Enterprise Agreement offer following the cool reception its initial proposal received from employees.
The CWU and other bargaining representatives met with Silcar Communications on Wednesday 9 November following a round of employee consultations during which employees made it be known that they were not impressed by the company’s “buy out” offer.
As explained in earlier E-bulletins, Silcar Communications is basically trying to bring wages and conditions in the company closer to those in other sections of the Visionstream conglomerate. This has involved a proposed one-off cash offer for certain conditions such as the 36 ¾ hour week and all overtime being paid at double time.
Silcar has now substantially increased the payout it is offering for the proposed changes in ordinary hours and overtime. It is also proposing to increase the sum it is offering for ceasing to pay super on weekend overtime, though this part of the offer is subject to further clarification.
Lastly, it has taken the proposed buyout of accumulated redundancy entitlements off the table and is instead proposing these be preserved, with future entitlements accruing as per the current Visionstream Field Workforce Agreement.
There also remains the question of the wage rise, with management indicating they are looking at a figure closer to 2% than to the 4%+ delivered in past agreements. No firm figure has, however, been proposed.
This new offer will be put to employees in consultations to be held in the coming weeks. It remains to be seen, of course, whether employees will be persuaded that the one-off cash offer – and an, at best, modest wage rise - will compensate for the loss of ongoing entitlements.
