The United Services Union is calling for more support for its members, who work in public service. Photo: James Coleman.
Documents have revealed further details about a union’s push for more working from home (WFH) and extra fuel subsidies for workers.
The United Services Union (USU) is seeking a splinter award – a temporary measure put in place in emergencies or unexpected situations – covering things such as more WFH opportunities and an increased subsidy to help its members manage high fuel costs.
Daniel Papps, USU head of legal, said regional workers were among those being hardest hit by the prices.
“In respect of our regional members, it’s not uncommon for those people to have to drive 100 or 150 kilometres, to and from work every day,” he said.
“Obviously, when you’re talking about that distance and the added cost of fuel, the cost can really add up quite quickly.”
Mr Papps defined a splinter award as a temporary measure that exists alongside the main awards, which cover other workplace conditions and entitlements.
“No one had anticipated such a dramatic and volatile rise in the fuel price,” he said.
“The award, we say, doesn’t adequately reflect the current environment, so we need an interim splinter, or island award, essentially as an additional set of rules and safety net there to help people weather the storm.”
The application, seen by Region, defines a ‘fuel crisis event’ as times when the weekly national average retail pump price for ULP is above 200 cents per litre, according to the Australian Institute of Petroleum.
Under the union’s call, fuel allowances would be increased by 50 per cent, while employees who need to use a private vehicle would also receive a payment of 50 per cent more.
Employers would also need to reduce non-essential travel (such as by a return to working-from-home (if practicable) and a four-day work week), while employees would be able to start and finish work at job sites “beneficial” to them.
“Measurers contemplated by this clause [around flexible work] are reasonably practicable unless an employer can establish they are not reasonably practicable,” the proposal states.
During a fuel crisis event, employees wouldn’t see their ordinary hours or pay reduced.
If adopted, these conditions would be in force for 12 months and would cover 55,000 council workers across NSW.
Mr Papps says the union has found “a lot of goodwill” in its discussions with NSW councils. Photo: Michelle Kroll.
According to survey data from the USU, one in two council workers are having trouble getting to work due to fuel costs, while others reported needing to spend an extra $50 or $100 a week.
Seven in 10 also said the current allowances were not covering their increased fuel costs.
Mr Papps said the proposed measures would help to ease the burden on members.
“We’re talking about people who work in libraries or mow people’s grass – they’re really, really important workers, but they’re not the most highly paid.
“If you’ve got someone who’s on 60 or 70 grand a year and every week, has to share out an additional 100 bucks a week to fill up their car just to get to work … budgets are already pretty tight – they’ve just gotten tighter.”
Mr Papps also said a letter was sent to councils in recent weeks, raising their concerns.
“That was step one [for us to] try and plant our flag on a discussion we wanted to have … We’re having ongoing discussions about this with them.”
But he said there had been “a lot of goodwill” from councils.
“We want to have that dialogue – we just want to have it quickly, because we know people are struggling now.
“The employers had an opportunity to consent to the arrangement today. They weren’t in a position to do so.”
The case is expected to return to the Industrial Relations Commission (IRC), with the USU listed as a party in a directions hearing on Wednesday (15 April).
