QUBE Enterprise Agreement update

As advised our last newsflash, we filed for Good Faith Bargaining Orders against QUBE, and we can advise that this has now been set down for Conference before Deputy President Cross next Tuesday (13 February 2024) at 9am, which has now been moved by QUBE to Monday 19 February 2024. 

Also, since our last Newsflash, QUBE has finally replied to our correspondence dated 18 January 2024. However, QUBE has not provided any substance to the 2 issues that we raised in our correspondence, just to refresh, they are, 

1. Evidence of capacity to pay, and 
2. Reasons (and information) for revisiting closed items. 

Within QUBE’s correspondence, they are requesting that we discontinue the Good Faith Bargaining Application immediately, as QUBE believes it to be ‘an unconstructive distraction’ and that they ‘would much rather return to the bargaining table with the RTBU than to dedicate our time and resources to further litigation’. To be honest, I can’t remember the last time QUBE has been constructive at the Bargaining Table. The last time we were at the bargaining table with QUBE, they stated that was it, and subsequently sent it out for a vote, in which 85% of voters voted NO. 

QUBE also state that they themselves are also considering an application for Good Faith Bargaining Orders believing that the RTBU is not bargaining in good faith by not meeting with QUBE. Again, why would we meet with QUBE when they can’t even respond properly to the 2 simple issues as stated above, or even have faith in QUBE’s ability to honour what happens at the bargaining table, especially when we had an in-principal agreement within the Fair Work Commission on 26 June 2023. It is also worth noting we are meeting in the Commission in 10 days. 

In other Legal News, the closing submissions of QUBE’s application to vary the last 2 Enterprise Agreements will be heard in the Fair Work Commission on 14 February 2024. 

Members will be kept informed of any progress as it occurs. 

Download the Newsflash here.