MEDIA STATEMENT: Enterprise agreement secures favourable conditions, stability for workers
6 April 2020
After a complex five-year journey, APY workers have approved a new enterprise bargaining agreement.
The agreement will provide a secure foundation for a fair, reliable and consistent structure for their employment terms and conditions.
This is a significant industrial relations milestone for APY as an organisation, which has taken the opportunity to tailor an EBA for its specific needs as an indigenous land council that operates in accordance with the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Land Rights Act.
APY management representatives have been working to establish an EBA since 2015, when it was discovered that APY required improvement and consistency for its employees’ terms and conditions.
The EBA has been negotiated between the employer, employees and bargaining representatives to establish a fair working wage, and terms and conditions of employment, for current and new employees.
This has taken an extensive amount of time because of the transient nature of some bargaining committee members, which had delayed the process.
APY General Manager Richard King welcomed endorsement of the EBA by the Fair Work Commission. “This is a first in the history of APY and will provide a secure base for fair, reliable and consistent terms and conditions of employment,” Mr King said.
“I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone for their participation. This is a fantastic outcome that secures excellent terms and conditions for current and future staff of APY.”
Chamber of Commerce NT, which represents individuals and groups in remote Aboriginal organisations, has since 2015 supported APY management, staff and the Australian Services Union.
“Solidifying terms and conditions for staff through the negotiation of an Enterprise Agreement creates stability and favourable terms for workers,” a spokesperson said.
“This also provides an excellent platform for APY to follow given the exhausting arrangements under the Modern Award Provisions and blurred lines between industry and occupational coverages.
“We have been honoured to work alongside the team at APY and we look forward to the future journey ahead.”
The EBA was approved on April 2, 2020 and will operate from April 9, 2020. The nominal expiry date of the agreement is April 1, 2024.
For further information please contact Richard King on 0401 124 876.
For media enquiries contact Michael Owen on 0400 042 214.
For all APY Media queries
please contact
Michael Owen at www.owenmediarelations.com.au