ORA EA Negotiation Update 6

This week, the parties met again to progress negotiations. Positively, several items were agreed upon; however we are still miles apart on a number of key issues. 

Since the start of negotiations, both parties have agreed that rosters, fatigue, and how they are managed are key issues for both sides. During the earlier meetings, ORA had put forward a number of rosters that did not address members’ concerns and were rejected by your delegates. 

At our February meeting, on the back of members making it very clear in our log of claim survey that they would prefer a block-style roster, your delegates put forward a “four shifts on, four shifts off” style roster. Understanding that this style of roster would contain fewer sign-ons, we offered to withdraw our meal break claim and accept ORA’s proposal of removing the shift limit of 11 hours for Driver/Driver unqualified as part of our proposal. 

In response to our proposal, ORA yesterday offered a counter-roster proposal. Their proposal is as follows-

Acceptance of the RTBU roster proposal of four shifts on four shifts off, conditional on employees giving up the following conditions: 

• Removal of DIL accrual (Pay the entitlement) 
• Lift & Lay Penalty – (Introduce a penalty payment of $200 and .7 payment for hours in the lift up lay back window) 
• Removal of 11hr shift limit (Driver / Driver unqualified) 
• Amendment to Leave deduction – Not honour the current FWC decision of 7.6 hour deduction for annual leave shifts 
• Roster Cycle to 8 weeks 
• Tolerance on availability when a shift runs over time (within 60 mins) 
• Removal of 22:00 to 04:00 lift/lay restriction 
• Widening of Lift Up window by additional 1 hour 

What ORA have requested in return for agreeing to the 4×4 roster is obviously an ambit claim, management know members will never accept such a proposal. 

After ORA presented their proposal, your team pressed ORA on what their wage offer is as this will need to be taken in to consideration in any decision. ORA responded by stating that they want to first reach agreement on other matters before presenting a formal offer however they stated any offer will not be less than 3% per year of the agreement. After further discussion ORA have agreed to release your delegates next Wednesday so as they can take some time to hear member feedback and more closely look at what has been proposed and as to what members would consider, before again meeting in the last week of March. 

Your negotiation team understand members would never accept the cuts in conditions ORA are proposing, however they would like to hear your feedback on what is proposed and what members consider reasonable to achieve the 4×4 roster. We are therefore encouraging members to speak with your delegates and or put forward your thoughts in an email to them.

For members information we have also included a list of our original claims and where these claims are at. We encourage member feedback on this as well, acknowledging that the company has moved on a number of items that have been of concern over the life of the current agreement. 

While ORA has been reasonable on a number of matters, it needs to get serious regarding rostering, fatigue, and a decent pay rise. We encourage all members to speak up to management and remind them that cutting conditions around rostering does not contribute to reducing fatigue but rather increases risk and reduces work-life balance. This is not something a company who wants to be an employer of choice would or should do. 

Protections Not Platitudes 

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