FED: Postal workers agree to pay rise

AAP General News (Australia)
12-20-2001
FED: Postal workers agree to pay rise

SYDNEY, Dec 20 AAP - More than 35,000 Australia Post workers have reached agreement
on a pay rise just days from Christmas.

The workers voted overwhelmingly in favour of an eight per cent pay rise, including
two $300 lump sum bonuses over two years.

NSW Communications, Electrical and Plumbing Union (CEPU) postal division secretary
Jim Metcher said the pay increase would give Australia Post workers some job security
during a time of economic uncertainty.

"The new enterprise agreement provided in the main the necessary certainty and stability
for Australia Post workers given the many thousands of Australian workers who have lost
their jobs following the number of corporate collapses, not to mention the uncertainty
created by the September 11 terrorist attacks in the USA," he said.

Australia Post spokesman David Barker said workers would receive the first instalment
of the pay increase on January 3, 2002.

He said the agreement was negotiated without any industrial action and had support
of 86 per cent of staff.

"The overwhelming `yes' vote was also a vote of confidence in the partnership we have
built with our staff over this period," he said.

The agreement was signed off in the Australian Industrial Relations Commission in Melbourne
today.

AAP nd/arb/ph/br

KEYWORD: POST

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