News

NZ Post members of the EPMU, UNI Post & Logistics New Zealand affiliate, have voted to accept an offer from new Zealand Post of a new 33 month collective contract. At the same time, the Postal Workers of Aotearoa has rejected the proposal. The EPMU, the largest union in NZPost, have said that the ratification ballot was supported by 75% of EPMU members, and it has meant that the offer will deliver a 12.54% increase in wage rates over the next 25 months, with the document to be renegotiated in 33 months.



EPMU national postal & logistics coordinator Anna Kenny says the negotiations were difficult, with more than eight days of negotiations over several months. "One sticking point in particular was the term of the agreement. Our members were very clear that we were to get a longer term document if possible, preferably of 24 months, but after hammering for seven and a half days we decided to take a thirty three month term to get the deal we wanted. The pay off was the rapid rise of hourly rates and a stepped bleed-in of additional annual leave which will give NZ Post workers with six years or more service as of 2012 five weeks annual leave."



Meanwhile the PWUA members voted 89% to reject the deal with their main concern being the long term for the new contract. The PWUA have said that with inflation already on the rise in New Zealand with food prices rising 8.2% for the last year, that the proposed wage rise and the long term did not fit their members needs. It has now been agreed between NZ Post and the PWUA that there be formal mediation on the issues of concern for them. Some of the matters the PWUA intends to raise in mediation include:

• The length of the term.
  
• The potential for wages to fall behind prices - inflation has already swallowed up the first 4% rise.
  
• A time-line for the Working Party on flexible rosters and rewards.
  
• An improved formula for the payment of cut-ups.

The EPMU says that for their members the rise in pay rates is very significant, particularly for lower paid workers who have been struggling with recent increases in the cost of living, especially in food and petrol."

EPMU members will receive an immediate increase of 4% backdated to 1 July. In nine months wages will increase by a further 2.5% taking wages to 6.6% above current rates.



Details of the EPMU settlement can be seen on their web page at; http://www.epmu.org.nz/news/show/172324



The PWUA newsletter is attached.