News

Following the bulletin sent to the Victorian Ambulance Union Incorporated (VAU) members of RFDS on Wednesday 6 May 2020, RFDS have sent the VAU an alternative offer for consideration in relation to the terms of the proposed enterprise agreement. This alternative proposal was put to bargaining representatives after RFDS said that its financial position had changed, and so it would have to change its offer put in December 2019 and January 2020.

The VAU have already identified several concerns.

Summary of identified lost wages and conditions

1. RFDS has proposed to remove reference to the Ambulance and Patient Transport Industry Award 2020 (Award) being incorporated into this new Agreement. Currently there are several additional conditions contained in the Award that are not in this proposed Agreement so if the Award is not incorporated, you lose these conditions. Conditions that will be lost include, for example, one and a half extra days pay or extra leave to permanent employees who are rostered off on a public holiday and access to an unpaid pandemic leave entitlement during the COVID-19 Pandemic.
2. Removal from the agreement of the previously agreed claim which allowed for casual conversion to permanent employment after 9 months of working with RFDS.
3. RFDS have told employees about a “New wage structure” claim that will have future employees paid a different rate of pay (a reduced rate) for doing the same work as current employees. RFDS have stated to you in their correspondence that “Rates for new staff have been revisited, with ATA rates for new staff being very similar to those currently being paid by NPT…”.
   • ​​The VAU do not support introducing a tiered wage structure and creating classes of employees with different conditions under the same agreement. No Union or employer for that matter, should allow for employees doing the same work to be paid different rates of pay
4. Employees will not progress to the next pay increment for each year of service, unless signed off by RFDS management.
5. RFDS have changed their pay offer. Previously it was 2% or CPI, whichever is higher, now RFDS have now only committed to paying CPI during each year of the Agreement.
6. RFDS have proposed that they be allowed to change rosters by giving 7 days’ notice. Currently it needs to be 28 days’ notice.
7. RFDS has reneged on their previous offer of paying every employee a shift allowance of $42, if rostered between 18:00 hours and 06:30 hours.
8. The removal of the previously agreed student observer allowance. RFDS have stated in their correspondence to you that it is still there. It’s not clear what their position is.
9. The proposal has removed the disciplinary procedure, which means you and the VAU cannot take a dispute about any disciplinary matter you may have to the Fair Work Commission.

Even though we are still reviewing the proposal, already it is very clear that employees would be significantly worse off than they are now under the current agreement if this proposal was accepted.

The VAU is considering what options we have available to ensure that RFDS keep to their word on previously agreed claims.

If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact: [email protected] or [email protected] in the first instance