New Year pay rise for council staff

THE union representing Derwent Valley Council staff says it has negotiated a pay rise for most of the workers at the local authority.

Australian Services Union Tasmanian co-ordinator Aaron De La Torre said the union had been working to resolve a dispute over the council's failure to provide performance reviews in accordance with the staff enterprise agreement.

The union says the council has failed to meet this requirement for an extended period of time - more  than 10 years in some cases, while others have never been offered a performance appraisal in their time with the council.

"We’re pleased to advise that council’s acting general manager, Brian Barrett, has agreed to a range of conditions to resolve the dispute," Mr De La Torre said.

While no performance reviews will be conducted this financial year, most employees will receive an incremental pay rise from January 1, 2020. The exceptions are:

• Staff who have less than 12 months service as at December 31, 2019, and therefore wouldn’t have had a performance review
• Staff who have been subject to disciplinary action which was of a serious enough nature to have resulted in a written warning being issued
• Staff who are already paid at the top of their band

"Those who are already at the top of their band would not have automatically received an incremental increase through a performance review, however, these employees are also being given an opportunity to put a case forward if they believe that their role has changed considerably since their last review," Mr De La Torre said. "The ASU would assist our members throughout this process," he said.

"Our negotiations mean that almost all employees will now benefit from an increase in their pay rate and the new performance review process will start next year, with goal-setting early in the year.

"The ASU negotiated this outcome through the strength of our membership and on behalf of our members. We protect, promote and improve the working conditions and entitlements of our members.

The union has also been working with council staff to negotiate for the election of health and safety representatives in their workplaces, including the council offices, works depot and Valley Childrens Centre.