1. What is an enterprise agreement?
2. Why do I need to know about enterprise bargaining?3. Which enterprise bargaining agreement am I currently covered by?
4. When do the current enterprise bargaining agreements end?
5. What does ‘nominally expire' mean?
6. Have negotiations for new agreements commenced?
7. Who is participating in negotiations for the new agreements?
8. What is the wage increase being offered?
9. When will I receive any salary increase that is part of the new agreement?
11. How can I find out more about the enterprise bargaining process?
1. What is an enterprise agreement?
It is an agreement about the relationship between an employer and a group of employees that is certified by the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission.
Generally, an agreement is developed during an enterprise bargaining process and covers issues related primarily to employment conditions.
An enterprise agreement may also be referred to as a certified agreement or an enterprise bargaining agreement.
2. Why do I need to know about enterprise bargaining?
Enterprise bargaining outcomes generally affect salary levels and employment conditions and provide specific entitlements on a range of diverse matters.
Before an agreement is certified by the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission, all staff to be covered by the proposed agreement are invited to participate in a ballot to accept or reject the outcomes of the negotiations between the employer and relevant unions.
Understanding the issues being discussed throughout the enterprise bargaining period and keeping abreast of the status of negotiations enables staff to make informed decisions during the ballot process.
3. Which enterprise bargaining agreement am I currently covered by?
The Queensland Public Health Sector Certified Agreement (No.6) 2005 covers administrative, operational, dental, building and maintenance staff. Its also covers any professional and technical staff who are not covered by the Health Practitioners (Queensland Health) Certified Agreement (No 1) 2007, i.e. alled health staff.
Medical officers are covered by the Medical Officers' (Queensland Health) Certified Agreement (No 1) 2006, whilst nurses are covered by the Nurses (Queensland Health) Certified Agreement (EB6) 2006.
Visiting Medical Officers (VMOs) are covered by a specific VMO agreement.
4. When do the current enterprise bargaining agreements end?
Most enterprise bargaining agreements have an end date, or ‘nominal expiry’ date. This is so the terms of the agreements can be renegotiated at regular intervals.
On 31 August 2008, agreements covering medical, dental, administrative, operational, building, engineering and maintenance staff, and those professional and technical staff who are not covered by the health practitioners’ agreement, will all nominally expire.
The current agreement for Visiting Medical Officers (VMOs) expires on 28 February 2009, while the nursing agreement nominally expires on 26 March 2009.
All current agreements remain in force until replacement agreements are negotiated and certified (where necessary) by the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission.
5. What does ‘nominally expire’ mean?
By using the term ‘nominal’, an enterprise agreement can remain in place past the end date until a replacement agreement is negotiated and certified by the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission.
6. Have negotiations for new agreements commenced?
Yes. For agreements that will nominally expire on 31 August 2008, negotiations have commenced. In a series of negotiation meetings over the coming months, the parties involved will work through the areas of interest and develop the content of the new agreements.
Negotiations for replacement agreements covering Visiting Medical Officers (VMOs) and nurses are expected to commence in September 2008.
7. Who is participating in negotiations for the new agreements?
Representatives from Queensland Health, the Department of Employment and Industrial Relations and all unions that are party to the relevant agreements will participate in negotiations.
8. What is the wage increase being offered?
On 30 May 2008, the Minister for Employment and Industrial Relations announced that the Queensland Government will offer the state's public sector employees a 3.25% per annum wage increase over the next three years.
The Minister further advised that any increases above that figure would be based on improving services delivered through greater efficiency.
9. When will I receive any salary increase that is part of the new agreement?
The effective date for any salary increase will be the first day of the month in which in-principle agreement is reached or 1 September 2008, whichever is the later.
‘In-principle’ agreement means where the parties to the agreement agree on the content of an agreement but before the agreement has been certified by the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission.
This timeframe is consistent with whole-of-government policy.
10. Will I be entitled to back pay if I leave Queensland Health between 1 September 2008 and the date a new agreement is certified?
If you are an employee of Queensland Health on the date the agreement is certified, you will be eligible for any backpay arising from the new agreement.
If you resign between 1 September 2008 and the date a new agreement is certified, you will not be entitled to any backpay arising from the new agreement.
If you transfer to another public sector agency during the same period, however, you will be entitled to backpay arising from the new agreement.
A temporary employee is not normally eligible for the backpay if their employment contract ceases during the above period. If that person is re-engaged within a three month period, however, an entitlement may exist.
11. How can I find out more about the enterprise bargaining process?
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