Browse > Home / News / Forestry pay talks stumble

Forestry pay talks stumble

Posted on November 15, 2009, 9:09am and updated on November 16, 2009 at 4:28 pm

More than 100 Mount Gambier workers could be involved in industrial action after a breakdown in talks between ForestrySA and the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union.

CFMEU South East organiser Travis Lawson has written to the head of the forestry corporation stating he is breaking away from enterprise bargaining negotiations and consulting with members about future action.

He told The Border Watch he would take the matter up with the Industrial Relations Commission.

Mr Lawson said that although workers had been offered a 2.5pc pay rise, in line with Treasurer Kevin Foley’s budget announcement that this was the amount increases for public servants would be capped at, too much was expected in return from staff.

He said ForestrySA had sought to drop penalty rates for fire standby, reduce higher duty and mixed function payments and alter abandonment of employment clauses.

“The workers would have been around $1800 a year better off in wages, but would have lost that much in six weeks by accepting the offer, which ForestrySA would have made a profit out of,” Mr Lawson said.

He said the union had been flexible and was prepared to accept ForestrySA’s offer and work the corporation’s demands into next year’s agreement, including alteration of classification structures for staff.

“We were prepared to roll over existing agreements for 12 months, take 2.5pc, and look at those things for a new agreement to be negotiated next year, but that was rejected,” he said.

“ForestrySA wants a three-year agreement, which would provide a 7.5pc pay rise over that time, which ticked workers off because they have been telling me things could be better next year and they are very reluctant to be locked into a small pay rise for three years.”

He said the union would seek intervention by the commission as it worked to protect ForestrySA’s 150 workers across the state, including more than 110 in Mount Gambier.

He said there was potential for the fight to lead to industrial action.

ForestrySA chief executive Brian Farmer said he would not discuss enterprise bargaining matters with the media, but said negotiations were continuing with several parties.

“There are various unions covering the business and other representatives, and we are continuing discussions with broader representatives,” he said.

“We haven’t concluded negotiations with the CFMEU or anybody else; our door is still open.”

Mr Farmer said ForestrySA’s position regarding pay rises was consistent with the State Government and he hoped the matter could be resolved without industrial action.

“We both have logs of claims in and need to talk, which is the purpose of enterprise bargaining arrangements,” he said.

“We prefer to negotiate these matter and would appreciate that being able to happen.”

JASON WALLACE

Tags: , , ,  

Comments

Posting of new comments is currently disabled.