Following months of extensive consultation involving hundreds of CSIRO employees from across the country, the Staff Association developed a bargaining claim – based on the issues that matter to our members – that sets out the union’s starting position for negotiations of new CSIRO enterprise agreement (EA).
Through a series of meetings held in CSIRO workplaces across the county during May and June, Staff Association members considered and overwhelmingly endorsed the union’s bargaining claim.
The endorsement of the Staff Association claim represents the completion of the union’s preparation for EA negotiations at CSIRO.
We’re ready to bargain.
With less than five months to the nominal expiry date of the current agreement, it’s time for CSIRO Executive to come to the table and set a date immediately to commence negotiations.
While the union has always understood and accepted that the progress and outcomes of service-wide bargaining in the Australian Public Sector (APS) would have an impact on negotiations at CSIRO, there’s nothing in the Government’s bargaining policy to stop non-APS organisations to request the commencement of negotiations.
The clock is ticking. It’s time for CSIRO to get moving.
This is a summary of the key features of the Staff Association bargaining claim, recently endorsed by members in the workplace.
A complete copy of endorsed claim is available to members on request, email csstaff@cpsu.org.au for more information.
CSIRO Staff Association members want an enterprise agreement with improved conditions and genuinely negotiated pay rises that keep up with cost-of-living increases.
CSIRO Staff Association members want this round of bargaining to provide:
CSIRO Staff Association members want to see a CSIRO that delivers the best outcomes for its employees and Australia. An agency that conducts world class innovative research independently, ethically, and with integrity.
A workplace that maintains the highest safety standards, supports, and encourages diversity and inclusivity, with gender equality, and with fair and equitable conditions and rights for all CSIRO employees. A workplace with career paths that attracts and retains the best people from Australia and around the world.
Many CSIRO employees are struggling with the cost of living, with some employees forced to make difficult choices to keep up. Very high inflation (7.8% in the December quarter 2022, which is expected to be the peak) reflects higher housing costs, petrol and electricity, childcare, food, clothing and other essentials.
CSIRO employees have been experiencing real wage decline since 2013, due to the previous government’s concerted strategy to hold down wages in the Commonwealth sector. This is affecting CSIRO science delivery capability, with the organisation struggling to attract and retain employees in a tight labour market, high turnover in some areas, and critical roles left vacant. Wages need to increase, so that the capacity of the CSIRO to serve the Australian community is not further affected.
Wage outcomes need to address ten years of declining wages in the agency, and allow employees to keep up with current and future cost of living increases. In the context of steep increases in the cost of living, the CSIRO Staff Association seeks front-loaded wage rises.
Employees will receive the following wage rises over the life of the enterprise agreement:
In addition, there will be a cost of living adjustment payment in any year of the agreement where CPI exceeds the wage increase payable for that year, so that wage outcomes are adjusted to the rate of CPI.
Employees will receive a guaranteed minimum employer superannuation contribution of 15.4%, regardless of choice of fund to maintain the CSIRO as a leader in superannuation in the public research sector.
Ongoing employment shall be the preferred basis of engagement. This commitment will be reflected in the agreement. CSIRO will work with the CSIRO Staff Association to demonstrably reduce insecure forms of employment in the agency.
Contracting out and use of labour hire should be extremely rare and temporary, and a proposal to outsource or renew outsourcing will be subject to consultation with employees and their representatives.
Casual and non-ongoing employment will only be available in agreed circumstances and will not be used as a substitute for permanent, ongoing jobs. CSIRO will work with the CSIRO Staff Association to establish clear pathways to permanency for casual and non-ongoing employees.
Employees have the right to reasonable, safe and achievable workloads. Where an employee or group of employees have concerns about their workloads, workloads will be reviewed in consultation with employees and their union.
There will be no reduction in existing leave entitlements. Employees will have the right to access leave as needed; leave applications will be processed in a timely manner; and evidence and notice requirements will be fair and not onerous on employees.
Employees will be entitled to paid parental leave, adoption leave and permanent caregiver leave of 26 weeks each, with a total of 52 weeks which can be taken flexibly over three years. Employees will be entitled to paid supporting partner leave of 8 weeks, taken concurrently with the other partner’s period of paid parental leave, at any stage during the other partner’s period of 26 weeks.
There will be paid leave for employees affected by family, domestic violence or sexual violence of a minimum of 20 days per year, with the ability to access flexible work arrangements as needed and appropriate support networks.
CSIRO will actively support employees accessing flexible working options (including working from home and hybrid work), without undue restrictions, such as unnecessary caps on the number of days worked from home or overly restrictive approval processes. All employees will be able to make requests for flexible work, which may include changes in hours of work (including part time work), patterns of work, and the location of work.
Working from home rights will be contained in the Agreement. There will be a presumption that working from home requests will be approved, unless granting the request would cause unjustifiable hardship to the employer. There will be no caps on the number of days an employee can work from home. Employees who choose to work from home will be fully supported in doing so, and it will not come at the expense of other entitlements.
All employees (including casual and non-ongoing employees) will be provided with learning and development opportunities on paid time in relation to their current job and to support their future careers. Additional learning and development opportunities will be provided where significant change occurs.
CSIRO will consult employees and their union on workplace matters prior to decisions being made, providing employees and the union with a genuine opportunity to influence decisions. Consultation will occur on all matters that affect employees, including but not limited to decisions regarding introducing or extending casual or non-ongoing employment, contracting, or labour hire arrangements.
CSIRO staff and researchers should not be restricted from providing evidence-based findings to community or government bodies in the interest of promoting the best available science to inform quality decision-making and policy. CSIRO staff should be able to report scientific research outcomes free from political interference or restrictive reporting practices.
Employees will have the right to be represented by their union in all employment-related matters. CSIRO will recognise and support the role of delegates and other elected union representatives, deal with them in good faith, and provide appropriate paid time and facilities to enable them to perform their roles. Delegates will be supported to communicate with employees, including via email and other media.
Employees have the right to a safe workplace, including one that is free from physical and psychological harm, discrimination, harassment, and bullying. Allowances will be paid for first aid, fire wardens, health and safety representatives, and harassment contact officers. Employees, HSRs and their representatives will be consulted on all matters affecting the health and safety of employees. Workers will have the right to be represented by their union on all WHS matters.
CSIRO will work with the CSIRO Staff Association to adopt measures to improve the diversity of the workplace, particularly Aboriginal and Torres Strait employees, employees with disability, employees from culturally or linguistically diverse backgrounds, women, members of the LGBTQIA community and mature age workers. This will include recruitment and retention strategies, employment targets, use of identified and affirmative measures positions, and cultural awareness training.
A complete copy of endorsed claim is available to members on request, email csstaff@cpsu.org.au for more information.
