Members are advised that negotiations for our next MFS enterprise agreement (EA) have, despite our best efforts not started well, in fact you could say lamentably they have not yet really started at all…
The UFU State Council EA Working Party met today to receive and consider a report on this shocking situation from the UFU negotiating team about the failure of the government as the employer, to meet the bargaining obligations of the Fair Work Act 1994 and the provisions of the current EA to commence negotiations no later than six months prior to the expiry date of the current EA (which is 1 January 2025).
At the first bargaining meeting in July, the IRAP (Industrial Relations and Policy) representatives advised they could not commence bargaining as they did not yet have their riding instructions from the government. Not only that, they also did not know when they would have the necessary ‘authorisation of parameters’ to commence bargaining.
While acknowledging there was more than ample time to prepare leading up to the scheduled commencement of bargaining, IRAP were not even able to say they would have such authorisation for the next scheduled meeting, a whole month later in August.
Sure enough, when we met last week they once again came to the negotiating table unprepared to commence negotiations and unable to tell us when they would be prepared to commence, though possibly their parameters might be set by the government on 20 or 23 August.
As of today, this has still not occurred, two months wasted and we still do not have a definite date or time frame to commence bargaining in earnest.
This is both shameful and unlawful and likely is a blunt stalling tactic; our union is now referring the matter to the SA Employment Tribunal in order to enforce the law.
A delegation of firefighters to meet with Premier Malinauskas has also been sought as a priority however to date this appears to be meeting deaf ears despite previous invitations from him. Correspondence and phone calls to the Premier, the Attorney General and the Minister have been ongoing with Minister Dan Cregan attempting to assist but finding little traction.
We understand that other unions are encountering similar behaviour from the Malinauskas government, so a meeting of public sector unions has been organised to promote collective action.
Memories of the last EA negotiations are currently being evoked, which members may recall was a nasty protracted and frustrating process; we are calling out this bad behaviour early and loudly and every effort is being made by our union to get negotiations on track.
Our focus must be kept on ensuring that members achieve the best possible outcomes as articulated in your feedback to us and as always it is our collective strength, resolve and unity which will deliver.
A meeting of Shop Stewards to discuss the EA will be convened at 0930 hours on Monday, 9 September 2024 at the UFUSA Office 148 South Road Torrensville. Deployment of those on shift has been sought from the MFS; please RSVP to info@ufusa.com.au at your earliest convenience.
MEETING OF UFUSA SHOP STEWARDS
MONDAY, 9 SEPTEMBER 2024
09:30 HOURS
UFUSA 0FFICE 148 SOUTH ROAD TORRENSVILLE
Please enter from Carlton Parade
In solidarity
