2018-05-08 Services & Organisation Committee Agenda

SERVICES & ORGANISATION COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                       8 MAY 2018


Following months of negotiations, in February, Unions and their employee representatives
agreed that the proposed Noosa CA document would be put to staff for a vote. The vote is
planned to occur in May 2018 utilising an electronic voting system.

Many of the clauses within the proposed new CA remain unchanged from the Sunshine Coast
Council certified agreements with the exception of the issues identified below. An important
matter throughout negotiations has been the pay increase. Since 2014, Council has provided a
number of administrative pay increases to staff – a one off recognition payment in December
2014 in lieu of a payrsie which was due on 1 July 2014, 1.5% in July 2015 (back dated to 1
January 2015) and 2% in July 2016. No further wage increases have occurred since July 2016.

Signatories to the proposed new three-year CA will include:
 CEO, Noosa Council
 The Services Union
 The Australian Workers Union of Employees
 The Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union of Employees
 United Voice Industrial Union of Employees
 Plumbers Union of Employees Qld
 Professionals Australia.

The changes negotiated from the applied to the proposed Noosa Council CA include:
 a pay increase of 2.5% applied each year of the agreement or CPI whichever is greater. The
   first pay rise will apply from 28 February 2018 if there is a successful vote;
 one Certified Agreement, not two, which will provide administrative improvements and will
   reflect the fact that we are one organisation. This is a significant milestone for our Council as
   up until this point, most Councils have had to manage multiple CAs for their workforce;
 allowances in the Certified Agreement to increase in line with the annual pay increase
   whereas under the previous SCRC agreements, they were increased in accordance with
   rulings of the QIRC state wage cases;
 inclusion of Domestic and Family Violence Leave (of up to 10 paid days) in line with the Qld.
   Employment Standards provisions of the Industrial Relations Act 2016; and
 an improvement to the study leave provision to allow participation for our temporary and
   casual employees who previously had not received study leave support.

Previous Council Consideration
Nil.

Finance
The financial implications of the new CA will be incorporated into the 2018/19 budget.

Risks & Opportunities
Having a single agreement provides for some administrative improvements from a management
perspective and assists in breaking down the barriers between the indoor and outdoor staff. The
most significant risk of not agreeing on a new CA is employee discontent and industrial action.
The finalisation of the Noosa Certified Agreement in place of the two existing Sunshine Coast
Certified Agreements is also a milestone as it is the last of the major de-amalgamation issues to
be finalised. The finalisation of the CA process is also dependent on a successful vote by staff
which is scheduled for May 2018. The CA also needs to be certified by the Queensland
Industrial Relations Commission.




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