C2002/2056, Transcript of Proceedings [2003] AIRCTrans 3540 (15 August 2003)

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TRANSCRIPT OF PROCEEDINGS


O/N 3928

AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRIAL

RELATIONS COMMISSION

COMMISSIONER BLAIR

C2002/2056

COMMUNICATIONS, ELECTRICAL,
ELECTRONIC, ENERGY, INFORMATION,
POSTAL, PLUMBING AND ALLIED
SERVICES UNION OF AUSTRALIA

and

AUSTRALIAN POSTAL CORPORATION

Notification pursuant to section 99 of the Act
of a dispute re staffing levels of technicians
at the Dandenong Letters Centre

MELBOURNE

1.07 PM, THURSDAY, 31 JULY 2003

Continued from 20.11.02

PN63

MS S. HERRINGTON: I appear on behalf of the CEPU Communications Division and with me, MR J. ELLERY and MR B. STABB and there are also a number of the members affected by this dispute, if I may term it as that, Commissioner, who are in the body of the court.

PN64

MR P. ROGAN: I appear on behalf of the Australian Postal Corporation and with me today is MR C. DRAPER and MR W. HEARN.

PN65

THE COMMISSIONER: Ms Herrington.

PN66

MS HERRINGTON: Thank you, Commissioner. This matter goes back a significant period of time to an earlier recommendation of yours in 28 October 2002 in relation to discussions that were to take place in regard to staffing for technicians at Dandenong Letters Centre. The thrust of the issue is in fact the network reconfiguration which you would be aware of in relation to Australia Post in Victoria which affected both technicians and operations staff and that network reconfiguration is in its final stages of being implemented at the moment.

PN67

There has been significant work done but there is outstanding issues in relation to a number of technicians that the union has some concerns with in particular concerns with the handling of their individual redeployment situation and also in relation to the general issue of what jobs were available for them to seek redeployment into. There were some general problems identified by the State branch of the union in January of this year. There were some specific problems identified in relation to the group of members in March 2003 and there was a meeting between the State branch and the Australia Post State Administration in April of this year which resulted in a temporary solution, in fact a temporary transfer situation for a number of people.

PN68

That temporary transfer situation ceased on 14 July and basically, if I may term it as such, there is a stand-off between the parties in terms of what should happen to some half or dozen or so people that have not been redeployed at this point in time and we feel there should be some additional steps taken in terms of trying to address their issues. It would be our view, Commissioner, with the agreement of Australia Post, that perhaps this matter would be best dealt with in conference if we could discuss it that way. Thank you, Commissioner.

PN69

THE COMMISSIONER: Right, thank you. Yes, Mr Rogan.

PN70

MR ROGAN: Commissioner, we are happy to go into conference.

PN71

THE COMMISSIONER: Thank you for that detailed submission, that is very good, thank you. The Commission will go into conference.

NO FURTHER PROCEEDINGS RECORDED