Postal
Quick stories to keep you up-to-date
Redundancy: to be or not to be
The CEPU represented a member in Brisbane who works for Australia Post State HQ when he was told that his job was abolished and that he would be demoted two grades.
Post took the remarkable view that the Redundancy Agreement is not activated by this action and therefore there was no requirement to inform the CEPU of a surplus staff situation.
Needless to say the union had a different view on the matter saying that this was a clear breach of the RRR Agreement. The union took the matter to the AIRC and certain actions were agreed without prejudice.
This matter is not completed and while we will try to resolve the individual situation, we maintain our position that Post must issue the required notices to CEPU whenever a surplus staff situation arises.
White powder incident in NSW
Following a white powder incident in a country mail centre, Post directed a member to attend hospital for observation. The member spent most of the night at the hospital. Fortunately it was harmless. The member was required to attend work later that day without a 10 hour break. The union sought overtime for the time at hospital and the following shift. Post has refused. We will be taking the matter further.
Company paid doctors and your compensation
Post forcefully used their "injury management intervention policy" to full effect on a CEPU member at the AAT recently.
The member was injured but all LTI was avoided, compensation refused and the managers maintained their bonus. For Post it was an excellent success. The member lost about 7 weeks of sick leave and some ARL.
Following the injury, the member was directed to see a company doctor (FND). The injury was acknowledged and the member was treated by company doctors. After light duties and a rehabilitation program, then annual leave, the member had recovered. Then Post sent the member to a specialist who found that there was nothing wrong with him now.
Based on this, Post refused compensation! But there was a fly in the ointment - the victim is a union member. The CEPU is helping the member recover lost sick leave.