There’s been a rapid resumption to bargaining at CSIRO following the summer hiatus, with Executive releasing a timetable for consideration of a new collective agreement over coming weeks, ahead of an all-staff vote expected in late February 2024.
The developments come after both the conclusion of formal negotiations late last year and the release of the results of a Staff Association member poll conducted in December; which revealed a significant mood shift in response to Executive’s revised pay offer.
While CSIRO Executive confirmed that a proposed agreement was submitted to the Australian Public Service Commission (APSC) for policy approval last December, a comprehensive document was only supplied to union bargaining representatives in late January.
The proposed agreement has subsequently been checked for drafting errors and inaccuracies and resupplied to the APSC for final approval.
Staff Association representatives are conducting a national series of paid time and lunchbreak workplace meetings throughout February to consider the key features of the proposed agreement compared to the union’s bargaining claim.
Following approval from the APS Commissioner, CSIRO Executive released the proposed enterprise agreement, ahead of the commencement of the access period on 12 February.
View the proposed agreement here.
It’s decision time for Executive’s enterprise agreement proposal, with all CSIRO employees encouraged to participate in the online ballot.
Voting is underway and is scheduled to continue until 4pm (AEDT) on Monday 26 February 2024.
All CSIRO employees covered by the agreement are eligible to vote and union members are encouraged to participate.
While CSIRO Executive did not meet the modest expectations of staff regarding pay, the proposed agreement does include significant improvements to superannuation, consultation, workplace conditions and employee rights.
Staff Association negotiators believe the current proposal represents the best deal CSIRO employees can hope to achieve this bargaining round.
As a result, the union is not recommending members vote no in the hope of improving the offer.
We’re encouraging union members to participate in the ballot process, weigh the proposal on its merits, make an informed decision and vote accordingly.
Executive have tabled an 11.2 per cent increase over three years (4% in the first year, followed by 3.8% and 3.4%) plus back pay to November 2023 and an additional one-off payment equivalent to 0.92 per cent of base salary.
Conditional back pay payable to mid-November 2023, subject to the commencement of a successful enterprise agreement vote before 14 March 2024.
Additional one-off payment, equivalent to 0.92 per cent of an employee’s base salary.
The results of December’s poll revealed a big change in the sentiment of union members following consideration of Executive’s revised pay proposal; comprised of an 11.2 per cent increase over three years (4% in the first year, followed by 3.8% and 3.4%) plus back pay to November 2023 and an additional one-off payment equivalent to 0.92 per cent of base salary.
More than 1,400 Staff Association members took part in the poll, where 58 per cent of respondents agreed that the revised proposal represented the best outcome CSIRO staff could expect to achieve while 42 per cent of participants rejected the offer.
Executive’s initial offer (11.2% over three years but with no backpay or one-off payment) was rejected by 81 per cent of Staff Association members in an online poll held in October.
In a subsequent ballot conducted in November, 83 per cent of Staff Association members voted to authorise protected action.
The results of a Staff Association poll on Executive’s revised pay proposal have revealed a significant change in the sentiment of union members on the current state of bargaining.
More than 1,400 Staff Association members took part in the poll.
58 per cent of respondents agreed that the revised proposal represented the best outcome CSIRO staff could expect to achieve while 42 per cent of participants rejected the offer and called for protected action in early 2024.
While negotiations between the parties continue, bargaining representatives are now focusing on taking stock of content agreed to in-principle and identifying outstanding items that require further consideration.
Staff Association claim calls for all CSIRO staff to receive a guaranteed minimum employer superannuation contribution of 15.4%, regardless of choice of fund. Executive have proposed the introduction of an equal rate of contribution regardless of fund and moving to calculations based on Ordinary Times Earnings rather than Fortnightly Contributions Salary. Unfortunately, super contributions on unpaid parental leave will not be extended to those who choose a fund outside the CSS, PSS or PSSap.
Union claim calls for the introduction of genuine and meaningful pre-decision workforce consultation; before proposed changes to work practices, policies, or guidelines, prior to major changes of strategy and ahead of any restructuring or relocation of jobs. Executive proposal features pre-decision consultation, as per the model clause agreed to in service-wide bargaining between the Australian Public Service Commission and CPSU. Discussions are ongoing about the establishment of a consultative committee which will be needed to support an effective pre-decision consultation process.
Progress report card – current to 22 January 2024 – PDF download
Conditions and rights in the enterprise agreement are protected by law and can only be changed by agreement, whereas CSIRO policy can be changed at any time. Advice from the APSC has addressed the legacy of the previous government’s bargaining policy, clearing the way for the restoration of content and Executive are not seeking to remove content from the enterprise agreement into policy.
Staff Association bargaining representatives have managed to negotiate improved agreement content relating to job security, reasonable workloads, science integrity, parental leave, flexible working-work from home arrangements, delegate rights, Workplace Issue Resolution Procedure and Duty at Sea.
Executive negotiators are proposing changes relating to Public Holidays substitution, purchased leave arrangements, sick and carer’s leave accrual and documentation requirements, a new Enhanced Responsibilities Allowance, the introduction of ceremonial, NAIDOC and cultural leave and the introduction of voluntary redundancies in addition to existing substitution arrangements.
