Civil Maintenance workers at Sydney Water have been paid the same classification since 1991. These rates were locked into successive Awards and Agreements and have not been reviewed in the 19 years they have existed. Most jobs in Sydney Water are evaluated from time to time to take into account the things like the introduction of new tasks or technology. Sometimes the classification goes up, other times down, depending on the effect the change has on the work value of the job.

As you could imagine, there have been many significant changes to the Civil Maintenance roles in 19 years. As part of last year’s bargaining process, the ASU was able to win a commitment to have the jobs reviewed. This commitment was locked into the new agreement which mandated that the review must be completed by 31 March this year.

Despite our new Agreement stipulating a 31 March 2010 deadline Sydney Water has use constant delaying tactics to frustrate the review. The ASU is now taking steps to commence legal action to have the review arbitrated by Fair Work Australia.

Unsurprisingly Sydney Water has denied that any of the changes to work that has occurred since 1991, such as the introduction more complex Leak Detection work or FRM, represent work of a higher value.

They also refuse to agree or deny that other changes to Civil Maintenance jobs have changed at all. A classic example of this is the First Call Responder role, even though it was introduced around 1995.

The ASU is now in the process of building evidence for the case. We are approaching members who were working in Civil Maintenance in 1991 (the last year that the jobs were evaluated) to give evidence of what the jobs were like then. We are also talking to members who a currently working in the new, changed tasks about giving evidence in support of the claim.

Fair Work Australia will be arbitrating the case over the next few months.