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3.25% pay offer on the table for members

Your union has been working hard over the past couple of months to negotiate a fairer pay increase for members following the harsh 2.5% pay cap imposed by the new O’Farrell government.

From these negotiations, an offer of a 3.25% pay increase has been put forward to members.

This pay increase was negotiated on the basis of some productivity increases from workers but it is important to know that no award conditions have been lost or compromised.

See below the new offer explained:

The new award will keep conditions safe and locked in until January 2015.

The new award will start in January 2012.

Under current government policy payments to employees do not start until it can be demonstrated that savings reforms have been implemented. This will be completed in April 2012 when the first pay increase will change from 2.5% to 3.25%.

There will be additional increases of 3.25% in January 2013 and again in January 2014.

Some changes to work practices will be implemented to achieve the necessary savings for pay increases. These are:

1) Changes to holiday relief rostering

– Shift types across the roster will have considerably more relief lines. This will eliminate much of what was old scrap. Every depot, however, will continue to have the same staff-to-shift ratios.

– The relief lines under roster types will be based on seniority.

– These relief lines will be given the fall out of holidays or any planned leave of that roster type.

– Every depot has the same amount of holiday allocation (people off at the same time) and these will be allocated by seniority.

– The new, much smaller scrap roster will be filled by application when the books are open (as per all rosters) and successful applicants will receive the senior bus operator’s rate of pay whilst on this roster. This new roster will be called the daily allocation roster.

2) Changes to recruitment practices

– STA will continue to offer bus driving lessons for free (retail value can be around $1800)

– STA will employ you once you have your bus license

3) Changes to STA ongoing driver training program

– New method of in service training, successfully trialled at Randwick depot over the last 12 months

4) Deferment of traineeship wage rates

– Bus operator level 1 wages will continue until the end of traineeship

– This does not apply to existing trainees

In our log of claims STA have also agreed to the following:

1)   ADO paid on the day

2)   Loading time at major termini

3)   Customer complaints – bus operators will no longer be approached regarding anonymous customer complaints. STA staff are now required to check their records via conventional means and only if a complaint is categorically justified and proven will the bus operator be asked to answer questions.

4)   STA will amend their policy to make provision for members requiring leave in circumstances of domestic violence.

If you have any questions about this offer and how it will affect you, please contact the union at: info@busexpress.com.au