News

The Victorian Ambulance Union Incorporated (VAU) met with representatives from National Patient Transport (NPT) on Monday 20 March 2023 to continue bargaining towards an updated Enterprise Agreement (EA).

The VAU are very pleased to announce that we have reached in principle agreement about what changes will be incorporated into the new EA. The next step is for the agreement to go to a vote of the workforce, which will be organised in the near future. Before this occurs, both sides will be working hard on drafting to ensure that the wording in the document accurately reflects what was agreed at the bargaining table.

The genuine good-will and cordial approach adopted by all sides in this bargaining process have contributed to an outcome that will provide real benefits and improvements to employees moving forward. If agreed these increases discussed below will take effect from 1 July 2023.

The position prior to Monday’s bargaining meeting

The VAU and NPT had agreed on the majority of matters under discussion prior to this meeting but were still in discussion on the following points:

• A CPI ‘safety net’ underpinning the initial wage schedule.
• Increase in new ATA supervisor allowance from what was offered.
• Further discussion in respect of shift penalties.
• Further discussion about NPT’s proposed cuts to sick leave entitlements.
• Further discussion about paid parental leave.

What was achieved at Monday’s meeting?

• No movement on CPI underpinning the initial wage schedule (however, after extensive modelling by the VAU,  the proposed schedule will represent a greater increase than what would have been gained by CPI increase alone).
• ATA supervisor allowance – new proposal is for an increase from $1.50 to $2.00 per hour.
• Increases in shift penalties from $7.35 to $7.50 for afternoon shift and $9.92 to $10.00 for night shift penalties.
• An increase in sick leave entitlements for years 1 – 4 inclusive to 114 hours per year. Fifth and subsequent years will be reduced to 140 hours per year from 168 hours. The original offer reduced the fifth and subsequent years entitlement to 114. The VAU successfully negotiated this figure back to 140 hours.
• Paid parental leave to be increased from 6 weeks to 8 weeks for the primary carer and from 1 week to 2 weeks for the birth partner.

A detailed description of the total agreed position is included in the following pages.

Please note that items with a blue sub-heading represent a gain or improvement to conditions.

Items with a red sub-heading represent a loss or decrease in conditions.

Black heading represents a somewhat neutral position where some change will occur but does not represent either a loss or gain.

CONCLUSION:

The VAU are very happy with the outcome of bargaining. Significant gains have been won for members, and that NPT employees will now, as a result, work under the best EA in the industry. The VAU endorse the agreement and recommend that members vote ‘YES’ when the final draft document is put to a vote.

At the commencement of bargaining, the VAU put to NPT that they should aspire to being the ‘employer of choice’ and that by doing so, they would be able to attract the best people in the industry.

NPT bargaining representatives took the above concept to heart (no pun intended) and argued the case for improvements with the NPT board and also the most senior CDC managers.

We wish to thank the bargaining representatives from NPT whole-heartedly for their efforts in support of most claims. Everyone involved in NPT bargaining, from both sides, agree that the bargaining process has been conducted in a friendly, co-operative and professional fashion. Bargaining, more often than not, involves intense negotiation and a lot of conflict – and frequently Industrial Action. By contrast, NPT bargaining, on this occasion was a pleasant experience for all involved. Best of all, it is a positive outcome for our members!

DETAILS OF CHANGES IN THE PROPOSED AGREEMENT:

Wages:

The VAU are very pleased that the agreed wage schedule achieves several things –

• It provides significant wage increases across the board – industry best standard
• It increases the number of ‘years of service’ incremental rises – a better career path
• It provides for greater relativity between PTO and ATA creating real incentives – career progression

Wage Indexation:

• Annual 2% or CPI increase – whichever is greater, payable from the first pay period following 1 July each year to protect ‘buying power’ for the life of the agreement.
• All staff to receive two wage increases per year until they reach the top ‘year level’ for their qualification. One rise when you reach your anniversary date each year (to the next year level) and one rise each July of 2% or CPI whichever is greater.

Meal break:

Meal breaks will, once again, become part of ‘time worked’. This means –

• 30 minutes of each 10-hour. shift will attract overtime. For a full-timer this means 2 hours of ‘built-in’ overtime per week. Part timers will receive pro-rata overtime in accordance with their hours.
• Option to accrue the two extra hours each week and take it as extra leave (instead of overtime). By doing this, a full-timer would accrue 2 weeks and 2 days extra per year. This option is at the discretion of the employee however each person can only change their preference once per year.
• Shift and weekend penalties will apply to the full 10 hours, not 9.5 hours as is currently the case.
• Increased accrual of hours applicable to Long Service Leave (LSL) entitlement.
• Public holiday loading to apply to the full 10 hours. It currently applies to 9.5 hours.

Skills maintenance training:

The current allowance of one paid day of training per year will be increased to two days of 9.5 hours per year. NPT have expressed a wish to include mental health training and potentially driver training during this extra time. This extra training will be delivered ‘face to face’.

Joint Consultative Committee (JCC)

Reintroduction of a ‘Joint Consultative Committee’ to replace the ‘Continuous Improvement Committee’. The original concept was for a committee of staff and management people to meet regularly to discuss issues effecting the operations of the company including impact on staff. This committee is currently named in the EA. NPT have agreed to Union presence at each meeting of the new committee which is a big step forward.

Uniform:

NPT will continue to provide uniform(s) for staff, however prescribed amounts will no longer apply. NPT explained that the quantity of uniform items as stipulated in the current EA was mostly academic because some staff required more frequent replacement than others and that it was impossible to predict exact needs. They will move to a needs-based supply of uniform items. Although this sounds like a reduction in entitlement, NPT wish to ensure that their staff are well-presented when representing the company. The VAU is confident that people’s uniform needs will be met as necessary and that this change is essentially only administrative.

Shorts will be included in the list of items available to staff. This is in keeping with the findings of WorkSafe when the matter was raised by your hard-working HSRs during the worst of the COVID years when staff were wearing full PPE in what was frequently very hot weather.

Vaccination:

NPT will continue to provide vaccinations, where mandated, at no cost to staff. NPT have also agreed to two extra days of personal leave where a staff member has had a reaction to the vaccine and can provide a medical certificate stating that the symptoms were caused by the vaccine.

ATA Supervisor allowance:

Although NPT have been paying this allowance for a few months now, it originated as a VAU claim from our original Log of Claims (LOC). The original claim was for $2.50 per hour. NPT initially agreed to $1.50 per hour and have been paying that ever since. We have now gained a new agreement to a compromise position of $2.00 per hour for ATAs when they are supervising new PTOs (clinical or supervising hours) or ATA students.

Paid Parental Leave:

NPT have agreed to an increase in PPL. Currently they pay 6 weeks to the primary carer and 1 week to partners. In their offer they have increased this to 8 weeks for the primary carer and 2 weeks for the partner. They are the only NEPT provider to use this  ‘industry best practice”.

Shift Penalties:

Afternoon shift will now attract a $7.50 penalty per hour. (up from $7.35). Night shift will now attract $10.00 per hour. (up from $9.92). These are modest rises but still represent industry standard.

Personal Leave:

The proposal offers more personal leave entitlement in the first four years of service as follows. It also includes a reduction in available hours from the fifth year onwards.

Although this represents a loss overall, it is one of the claims that NPT had tabled. Their original claim was for the fifth year to drop to 114 hours in line with the proposal for the other years. The VAU, after listening to our members, made it clear to NPT that such a large drop in this important entitlement was unacceptable to many of the members. NPT, after further discussion, revised their claim to 140 hours (a figure suggested by the VAU). The totality of personal leave available under the new proposal still represents industry best practice by quite a margin. One other provider has similar sick leave available but hires predominantly casual staff, so it is largely academic in their case. It is noteworthy that NPT, in their original claim, sought to reduce personal leave to equal that which is provided in the National Employment Standards (NES). The NES amount is 10 days per year. The VAU are pleased that we could minimise the effect of this change whilst recognising the necessity for ‘give and take’ in good-faith bargaining.

Disciplinary clause:

Improvements to drafting and introduction of clear process to ensure procedural fairness in respect of this clause.

Representative leave:

Increase in paid leave for union representatives. This has been increased from 4 days per year to 6 days per year. Also, the reasons for obtaining that leave have expanded to include state council meetings, and delegate meetings as well as union training such as delegate training.

Annual leave:

Single days of annual leave will be allowed. This is already being applied at NPT but will now be reflected in the EA.

Footwear:

NPT have agreed to re-imburse employees $100 every two years to provide for replacement shoes or boots for work.

Rostering:

Christmas and Easter rostering to be posted 8 weeks in advance rather than the usual 4 weeks. This will enable people to plan for the holiday season.

Bullying and Harassment:

A new clause dealing with Bullying, Harassment and Discrimination. These matters are covered by WorkSafe and FairWork laws. The inclusion of the new clause represents an affirmation by NPT in respect of these matters.

Diversity:

Affirmation to be included in the EA stating NPT’s commitment to acceptance of diversity in the workplace.

Higher duties allowances:

Agreed upward relief allowance of $100 per week for those relieving Team Leaders and $200 per week for those relieving Regional Managers.

Public Holiday Penalty:

The nominal hours to be paid at PH rates (when permanent employee is rostered off) to be increased from 9 hrs. to 9.5 hrs to reflect current rosters.

Long Service Leave:

NPT sought to reduce LSL entitlement in line with the State LSL Act. Rejected by VAU. Current entitlements will be retained.

Part Time Employees:

Minor changes to PT conditions in respect of extra shifts worked. All extra shifts worked by PT staff to be paid at overtime rates in line with changes to the law. Currently, extra shifts are paid at single-time until a threshold 38 hours (for the week) has been reached. PT staff will no longer get preference to extra shifts, however.

Superannuation:

Wording change to superannuation clause to reflect changes in the Superannuation Guarantee.

Dispute Resolution:

NPT, in their Log of Claims, had sought to replace this clause with the FairWork model clause. The VAU rejected this claim. Agreement reached to alter the wording of the clause to provide clarity around dispute resolution including a defined process ensuring procedural fairness.

Night-shift penalty hours:

NPT included a claim to bring the agreed night-shift penalty hours in line with the Ambulance and Patient Transport Award 2020 (the Award). This will bring a change to the night-shift penalty finish time from 0700 back to 0630.

On Call:

NPT sought to remove all reference to ‘On-call’ in the agreement. The VAU rejected this claim, despite the fact that NPT stated that they do not have ‘on-call’ rosters and they have no intention of commencing them. Agreed to leave the clause as is, in recognition that an unused clause has no effect. No good reason seen to remove it.

In Solidarity!