Forced to seek hearing dates for minority awards

By Brenda Seymour

Federation has members in several minority groups who have not received the 3 percent July 1, 2004 and 3.5 percent on January 1, 2005 salary/rates increases.

These members work at:

• the NSW Adult Migrant English Service;
• Bradfield College;
• the Saturday Schools of Community Languages; or
• at the National Art School.

  Or work as:

• Australian Music Examinations Board examiners, assessors or advisers;
• Office of the Board of Studies officers; or
• TAFE institute managers.

The union has award claims for the members in these groups for the general increases and for equivalent additional promotions increases where applicable.

Federation members in Corrective Services have been provided with the claimed increases. The settlement includes the opportunity for a narrow arbitration on Federation's promotions claim for the group within Corrective Services.

Members would assume that the matters could be settled for all minority groups consistent with the settlement of Corrective Services. Not so.

Federation has been forced to seek dates for hearing of the matters.

In the Industrial Relations Commission on August 27 a timetable was set for the arbitration of all minority awards. Federation has until October 11 to file all its evidence (the last two weeks of this is the school/college vacation).

The Department of Education and Training and the Office of the Board of Studies file their evidence on December 6, 2004 and the Federation replies by December 20, 2004. Any arbitration will be in 2005. The Department of Education and Training minority awards will be arbitrated first, followed by the Office of the Board of Studies minority awards, and followed by all overarching issues.

It is most unfortunate that the lead provided by Corrective Services cannot be followed. Federation has sought conciliation in the Industrial Relations Commission as a matter of priority.

Brenda Seymour is the Assistant General Secretary (Research and Industrial).

For further information

September 2004 contents