TRC reaches agreement with Field Based Unions in EBA negotiations

Toowoomba Regional Council (TRC) has reached an in-principle agreement with Unions representing its Field Based workers as part of the ongoing Enterprise Bargaining Negotiations.

TRC CEO Brian Pidgeon said the seven Unions which represent Council’s Field Based workforce reached the in-principle agreement last week.

“It’s pleasing that the Field Based Unions and Council have agreed to move forward to provide our field-based workers with certainty on their wage structure over the next three years.

“As part of the in-principle agreement, these Unions have accepted Council’s proposal for a 6 per cent increase to base wages in year one, 5 per cent in year two and 4 per cent in year three. This equates to a 15.75 per cent cumulative increase in base pay across the three years of the agreement.

“In addition to this, Council has offered to lock in the payment of a critical skills allowance to our trade qualified people as well as an uplift to Paid Parental Leave.

“The same increase to base wages remains on the table for our Office Based workforce, however agreement has not been reached with their representing Unions,” Mr Pidgeon said.

“I personally met with The Services Union at their request last week, however little progress was made at that meeting.

“It may be the next step will be for TRC to seek the assistance of the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission (QIRC) to attempt to conciliate an agreement between the parties.

“I’m quietly confident that if the office-based Unions agreed to the current offer being put to ballot now, the majority of our people would support the strong uplift in wages on offer over the next three years,” Mr Pidgeon said.

“TRC acknowledges that pay and conditions remain important factors in attracting and retaining the people we need to deliver essential services to our growing Region.

“Council is acutely aware of the nation-wide cost-of-living pressures which also impact our people and the Region’s ratepayers, who will ultimately have to fund Council’s labour costs including wage increases. That’s why we are calling on the Unions representing our office-based workforce to reconsider Council’s current offer so there is no further delay in delivering these fair and reasonable increases to the rest of our employees.”