Hunter Water Corporation EBA Campaign

Hunter Water Corporation Attempt to Split Workforce

Details

Published on Tuesday, 02 June, 2009

Was the Hunter Water Corporation (HWC) offer this week, to APESMA members, some sort of attempt to split the workforce during your EBA negotiations?

Hunter Water offered the Engineers a 3% per annum wage increase for a 3 year Agreement, irrespective of the IPART/Budget process, if the APESMA members accept the offer before Friday 29th May 2009.

We are reliably informed that APESMA members held a meeting today (28/5/09) and rejected the offer.

The State Government Wages Policy allows for an annual increase of 2.5% without any loss of employees entitlements with anything above that amount to come from employee cost savings.

The offer to APESMA members is only 0.5% above the minimum entitlement of 2.5%.

In order to receive a 0.5% increase above the given 2.5% as detailed in the State Government Wages Policy. Employees would have to accept HWC proposals, those being:

1. Leave liability reduction
2. Cashing out of Annual Leave
3. Head office forced Christmas shutdown
4. Medical certificates
5. Introduction of GPS
6. Introduction of Random Drug and Alcohol Testing
7. Salary Banding – framework only, no details on how this will work

Do you think these substantial matters are only worth 0.5%?

These are the very issues that your Single Bargaining Unit is still negotiating.

If this unsolicited offer was indeed an attempt to drive a wedge between the HWC employees it has failed.  This action on the part of the General Manager of People and Change has angered the employees and has made them more determined to ensure they receive a fair and reasonable wage increase and improved conditions.