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In preparation for the upcoming voting period, the Victorian Ambulance Union Incorporated (VAU) will be on site for member meetings to answer any queries about the proposed Enterprise Agreement (the Agreement).

Access period open

The access period for a proposed Agreement occurs immediately preceding a vote commencing. Employees are given a copy of the proposed enterprise agreement and any incorporated documents during the access period. This period allows employees to review the Agreement at length and for Triple Zero Victoria (TZV) to explain its effects to all employees.

On Thursday, 10 October 2024, TZV provided these documents to employees. This included the proposed Agreement, a summary of changes documents, and all associated documents. TZV have now informed employees of the voting method. GoVote, an approved ballot agent, will conduct the vote electronically. Voting will be open for 10 days and will commence on Monday, 21 October 2024, at 9.01 am and conclude on Thursday, 31 October 2024, at 8.59 am

Back Pay Confusion

Some members have brought to our attention that they are unclear how the back pay will occur. To understand how it will work, please review the official document for all key entitlements, which is linked at the bottom of the bulletin. However, for completeness, employees will be backpaid:

a)    From the first full pay period after 3 April 2024, 3% on ‘current wages’ and ‘all wage-related allowances’. For example, the current mentor allowance is $3.50. The addition of 3% on the allowance is $3.60.

b)    From the first full pay period after 30 April 2024, employees will receive back pay as a result of the implementation of the new Classification Structure. However, the parties agreed that this may take approximately a month after ratification for employees to receive this backpay.

c)     New allowances only take effect once the agreement is ratified. It is the practice of the government not to backdate new entitlements. These are only:

• 10% increase to penalty rates on weeknight shifts. Increases the night shift penalty for Monday to Thursday nights to 35% and Friday nights to 60%.
• Overtime paid at double time on weekends from 6pm Friday to 7am Monday
• Doubling of the Mentor allowance to $7.00 per hour
• Public holiday shift penalties will apply to “Early Knock Off” shifts and employees on non-standard rosters

Employees rostered on EKO and non-standard rosters that finish on a public holiday or who agree to take short notice leave on the public holiday at the invitation of TZV will be entitled to the public holiday shift penalty as if they had worked the full shift.

Although it is the practice of the government not to backdate new entitlements and TZV did not want to backpay new entitlements the unions secured back pay for the new entitlements within the classification structure from 30 April 2024 as well as 3% increase on current wages and wage related allowances to 3 April 2024We fought hard for it, and members fought hard for it to be implemented before ratification.

“VOTE YES”

The VAU recommend that members vote YES. If a no vote occurs, there would be no in-principal, therefore no back pay from 3 April 2024. There would then be no agreement and bargaining would continue. Therefore, employees may not receive an increase for at least several months or even for a further year.

The VAU endorse this Agreement because of this and all of the improved conditions. Click on the button below for detailed conditions:

FOR ANY QUERIES PLEASE CLICK ON THE BUTTON BELOW