Transport for NSW Award 2015

During the past 10 weeks the TfNSW unions have been negotiating the Transport for NSW Award.

TfNSW insisted that they wanted changes to the Award and did not want a simple roll-over with a 2.5% pay increase.

This survey has been created to allow union members to vote on the Award proposal. If this proposed Award does not have the endorsement of members then employees will not receive their pay increase back dated to the first pay period on or after 1st July.

(Note: voting closes at 12pm (midday) on Friday, 31 July 2015)

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* 1. Sex:

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* 2. How long have you worked at TfNSW or for its predecessors?

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* 3. Which union are you a member of?

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* 4. What is your name? (optional)

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* 5. What grade are you?

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* 6. What area do you work in? (optional)

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* 7. Unions have been negotiating the TfNSW award over the last 2.5 months. How much have you heard about the award negotiation process?

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* 8. Casualisation is currently prohibited by the TfNSW Award. TfNSW wanted to change the Award to allow for casual employees within TfNSW and extend the usage of temporary employment. The TfNSW unions opposed this strongly and TfNSW withdrew this aspect of their proposal.

  Not at all important Somewhat important Important Extremely Important N/A
How important is the issue of protecting against casualisation and temporary employment to you?

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* 9. Unions fought to secure an entitlement to Flexible Work Arrangements in the Award. These arrangements mean employees with approval from their manager may access working from home, temporary part time hours, phased retirement arrangements, job sharing etc and will provide a new right where an employer will not unreasonably refuse an employee’s request for flexible working options, as long as business efficiency and productivity can be maintained.

  Not at all important Somewhat important Important Extremely Important N/A
How important is this element of the proposed Award to you?

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* 10. Changes have been proposed to the Flexible Working Hours scheme. These include:

Strengthening of Flexible Working Hours as a scheme for employees to set their start and finish times

New bandwidth of 7am to 7pm (formerly 7:30am - 6pm)

Removal of core hours (replaced with minimum 5 hours and maximum 10 hours worked a day)

Potential overtime penalties (by mutual agreement) for employees being requested to work extended hours or on the fringe of the bandwidth

  Strongly Dislike It Dislike It Neutral Like It Strongly Like It N/A
What do you think of this proposed change?

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* 11. As part of the Award the TfNSW Unions have also negotiated enhancements to arrangements surrounding acting at higher grades. Under the Award employees will be notified of the percentage rate to be paid and the basis for its assessment. Improvements in policy will recognise higher duties should be allocated in a way to increase developmental opportunities

  Not at all important Somewhat important Important Extremely Important N/A
How important is this change to you?

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* 12. The Award proposal has included a new classification structure for people working in the new CBD Taskforce. Unions have secured a commitment that these new structures only apply for the life of the CBD Taskforce and aren't to influence any existing or future positions in the organisation

  Not at all important Somewhat important Important Extremely Important N/A
How important is this protection to you?
The TfNSW unions have also negotiated the following with TfNSW:

*An agreement to strengthen Domestic Violence leave so those subject to domestic violence do not have to exhaust their sick leave before accessing Domestic Violence leave provisions (pending approval from the NSW Government)

*Changes to the Award regarding the definition of professional engineers to reflect international standardof a requirement of a 4/5 year degree.

*Commitment to discuss the expansion of items allowable to salary sacrifice

*Commitment to discuss strategies to improve career paths and better recognition for professional engineers and technical employees in the Transport Service Grades and improvements in the recruitment and retention of women engineers with Professionals Australia

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* 13. TfNSW unions are asking members to vote on the proposal as outlined in this survey and at presentations to staff. If members vote yes and the Award is endorsed then employees will receive a 2.5% pay increase backdated to the first pay period on or after 1st July plus all the conditions outlined above. If the proposal is rejected unions will go back to the negotiating table but backpay will be unavailable.

Do you endorse the proposed Award?

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* 14. Thinking about this year's Award process overall:

  Very Unhappy Unhappy Neutral Happy Very Happy
How happy are you with the performance of the Transport for New South Wales unions?

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* 15. Please provide any comments you may have about the unions, TfNSW, and the proposed 2015 Award (optional)

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