TasWater to seek good faith bargaining orders from Fair Work Commission …

… in Enterprise Agreement negotiations

TasWater will today ask the Fair Work Commission for good faith bargaining orders
after reaching an impasse with unions over with enterprise agreement (EA)
negotiations.

Acting Chief Executive Officer Dean Page said that the orders would require all
parties to cooperatively progress negotiations so that our staff have fair and
consistent statewide arrangements.

“Despite the best attempts by TasWater’s team leading the enterprise agreement
negotiations, the Single Bargaining Unit led by Unions Tasmania has impeded
negotiations with only some ‘in principle’ conditions agreed upon”, Mr Page said

“The single bargaining unit is yet to provide a detailed log of claims in response to
that proposed by TasWater, including details regarding wages and other key
bargaining items.

“TasWater has made numerous requests for this information from the Single
Bargaining Unit and we are now in a position where we cannot proceed any further
until this detailed log of claims is provided,” Mr Page said.

TasWater negotiators have also been frustrated with tactics which they believe are
unnecessarily drawing out the bargaining process.

“Arrangements for meetings and items for discussion are often changed at short
notice by the single bargaining unit, frustrating the good faith bargaining process,” Mr
Page said.

The enterprise agreement negotiations will cease until the Fair Work Commission
has brought the parties together with an aim to resolve the impasse.

Background

TasWater has been working hard to resolve this matter for its staff as quickly as possible, including putting a draft log of claims to the Single Bargaining Unit (SBU) that was rejected without being reviewed by union delegates.

The SBU was formed by Kevin Harkins of Unions Tasmania at the commencement of the TasWater EA bargaining process and consists of unions that cover TasWater EA employees.

The SBU was requested on 7 May to provide a detailed log of claims including wages. To date this has not been provided to TasWater.

A log of claims is a starting point for the parties to negotiate and cannot proceed properly without this being fully detailed.

There are also two employee bargaining representatives who are not part of the SBU who have provided a detailed log of claims.

This good faith bargaining application is separate to the issue regarding the application for a scope order raised by Professionals Australia which was conciliated by Fair Work Commission (FWC) on Tuesday 1 July.

TasWater’s objectives for the EA are:

• Bring three agreements into one and to have consistency in the arrangements across all regions of the state

• A clear and concisely written document which reduces confusion for entitlements of employees

• An affordable pay increase for EA employees which is in line with Tasmanian wage increases and which considers cost of living increases

• Maintain the sustainable operating costs of the business to ensure the price customers pay for water and sewerage are kept as low as possible

Good faith bargaining orders are requirements set out under the Fair Work Act which guide how bargaining representatives must behave and participate in negotiations.
TasWater