PN Bulk EA Update 34- progress report

This week we can report clear progress in negotiations. This was on the back of the strong actions by members continuing protected action in enforcing overtime bans and additionally not being intimidated by PN’s recent correspondence of withdrawing back pay. It is clear that members’ continued action and commitment to escalate actions further remains effective.

PN were still unable to provide calculations supporting their position and correspondence to members that, by including the aggregate in the base pay, their offer was 4% per year.

On this background PN put forward that after reviewing their calculations and speaking to employees they had found there was confusion around including the “Agg” in the base rate. PN therefore revised their offer, with a 2% increase in year 1, 4% in year 2, 4% in year 3, and 4% in year 4.

Your bargaining team is strongly of the view that PN have only made this offer as a result of the difficult questions that members and representatives put to PN about how they presented and characterised their original wage proposal. They got called out, and now they have had to wear it.

That said, the delegates took on board that this was a significant difference from the original offer but made it clear that members’ expectations were very clear that a sunset clause was a key claim and a pay rise of 2% in the first year was not acceptable.

PN took some time out and put forward the following counterproposal:

1. 2% increase with a “Yes” vote, and 2% in the first year of the EA (in effect 4% in the first year);
2. 4% increase in the second year;
3. 4% increase in the third year;
4. 4% increase in the fourth year.

PN’s proposal was based on a 4-year EA.

Your negotiating team took some time to consider this offer and acknowledged that it was a marked improvement from where we were previously.

We advised PN that:
• We would be prepared to take their revised offer out and discuss with members to seek your views.
• That a 2% sunset clause was not negotiable in any offer to meet members’ demands.
• That delegates would need to be released to travel the state to properly engage with members around the companies offer, and
• Should the above offer be made and put in writing we would be willing to pause PIA so that all bargaining delegates could be released to engage with members.

PN responded that they would need time to confirm the sunset clause with the CEO, but they did not believe there would be an issue in releasing bargaining delegates if PIA was paused.

PN returned today and confirmed that the CEO had agreed to the sunset clause. It was also discussed that there was a need to still work through drafting and reach agreement on the Bulk classification structure and barracks conditions for both groups. Drafting meetings were also set up to finalise issues where we have reached in principle agreement.

The overtime ban and ban on working on an RDO have been paused effective immediately.

Bargaining delegates did not make this decision lightly but did so with the understanding that members must be given the opportunity to hear directly from their representatives at the table and provide feedback to the real facts.

We understand PN have put out comms saying that the parties have reached alignment on
wages.

We have not reached alignment/agreement on wages.

We have been able to come to alignment in terms of recognising that PN have moved on their wages package, and that their offer is worthy of taking to members to gauge your views.

PN have also indicated in their employee communications that the package will be finalised over the next week before going out to members.

This is not what has been agreed as the purposes of the tour is to discuss with and gauge the view of members towards PN’s offer. There is still a lot of detail to go through in terms of outstanding issues and drafting, and the RTBU has made it clear that the priority now must be that bargaining delegates are released to discuss PN’s wage proposal with members.

If we do not get confirmation that bargaining delegates have been released by COB tomorrow, then the pause on PIA will be withdrawn.

Irrespective of the improved wage proposal, it is critical that we engage with members around the wages package, noting its importance to the overall bargain.

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