Western Power changes IR strategy

Western Power is aiming to become the first WA government corporation to implement a collective agreement, and will do so by going straight to its workers after a breakdown in negotiations with the Australian Services Union.

A Western Power statement is pasted below:

Employee Collective Agreement a good option for energy employees

Western Power today announced it will directly ask its workforce to vote on an Employee Collective Agreement on improved pay and work conditions in an effort to resolve an impasse between the business and the Australian Services Union (ASU).

Western Power's Managing Director, Mr Doug Aberle said the business had been in negotiations with the ASU for 10 months on a five year offer to the 1923 employees covered by the agreement. The ASU claims 730 of those employees are represented by the union.

"I am genuinely disappointed that the ASU rejected the most recent deal that was put on the table and I am concerned that the broader group of employees covered by the agreement has been denied the opportunity to have a say.

"To resolve this issue Western Power will now go directly to its workforce to negotiate an Employee Collective Agreement.

"This is not about being anti-union. We have recently secured a similar five year agreement with the CEPU for 735 employees.

"It is important to point out that come 1 July, new Industrial Relations laws will oblige Western Power to restart negotiations with a revised offer.

"The new deal would inevitably reflect the current economic conditions and it would be difficult to offer such a favourable deal as the one currently on the table.

"If successful this will be the first Employee Collective Agreement for a WA Government Corporation. The Agreement will bring the Government entity more in line with progressive private sector practices delivering a more dynamic, contemporary and responsive organisation, better able to meet customer needs.

"If rejected, Western Power will return to negotiations with the ASU, however, it is likely a deal would be many months away, delaying the provision of better pay and conditions to employees," he said.