AIRC hearing 31 May - report

POAAL represented Licensees at the recent Australian Industrial Relations Commission (AIRC) hearing in Melbourne held on 31 May 2005. The CEPU's application to "rope in" a further 318 LPOs to the Postal Services Industry Award was considered by Commissioner Foggo.Prior to the hearing, POAAL spent considerable time negotiating with the CEPU to delete from the original list of 450 LPOs those offices which either have no staff or where postal business is not the predominant business.At the hearing, the CEPU requested an immediate operative date for the Award at those 318 LPOs, however the Commissioner agreed to POAAL's request for a delay in commencement to the first pay period on or after 1st July 2005. This gives Licensees and their staff some time to consider the Award, including its pay rates and conditions.This minimum rates award now applies to several hundred LPOs across Australia, including all LPOs in Victoria where postal business is the predominant business. It should be noted that the Award applies to the LPO, not the Licensee, so when a logged LPO changes hands, the Award still applies.POAAL's work for Licensees re the Award incurs no extra cost toindividual Licensees. Another service provided by POAAL for Licensees.The Award may be downloaded from WageNet or by calling Wageline in your State.For more information on the Award, visit the Industrial Relations section of the POAAL website.