The Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union is pushing for wage increases totalling 12.5 per cent over the next three years, slightly ahead of the wages growth forecast by state Treasury for the same period.
The Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union is pushing for wage increases totalling 12.5 per cent over the next three years, slightly ahead of the wages growth forecast by state Treasury for the same period.
The Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union is pushing for wage increases totalling 12.5 per cent over the next three years, slightly ahead of the wages growth forecast by state Treasury for the same period.
The increases are specified in the CFMEU’s draft enterprise agreement, which it is currently using in negotiations with employers.
The draft agreement also provides for annual increases in training levies, site allowances, ‘fares’ allowances and redundancy fund contributions.
Under the rates of pay due to apply from November 1, a group 1 labourer working on a CBD office project would earn about $75,000 a year before any overtime payments.
Hourly wage rates account for only about two thirds of the total employment cost, as detailed in the table.
Allowances and levies, which can vary substantially depending on the location and nature of the work, comprise the balance.
The new enterprise agreement continues the practice of giving construction union members 26 ‘rostered days off’ on full pay each year.
The timing of 21 of these days will be specified in the agreement, and the remaining five can be ‘banked’ by employees and taken at a “mutually agreed” time.
This is designed to provide some extra flexibility, so that construction projects do not have to shut down on 26 extra days per year.
Union members can convert all sick leave entitlements over five days to a cash payment, and accrued sick leave can be used for any personal reasons at the employee’s sole discretion.
The agreement also specifies every site official must be allowed up to 10 days paid time off for trade union training.
Where workers are engaged on a Saturday, the minimum period of time will increase from three hours to four hours.
All shift work, and all rectification work following a WorkSafe prohibition notice, will be at double time.
The agreement could revive controversy over payment of bargaining agent fees to unions.
It specifies a registration fee of $110 for each union member and $385 for each non-union member “to cover the costs of multiple copying, drafting and clerical services, postage, transport and appearance at the Industrial Relations Commission”.