Post deal ratified

5 August, 2008

The results are in from the NZ Post ratification ballot and the deal has been accepted by 75% of EPMU members.

Ratification required 50% or more of voters to agree to the offer, and with three quarters of members voting ‘yes' the CEA is ratified and well supported.

The offer will deliver a 12.54% increase in wage rates over the next 25 months, with the document to be renegotiated in 33 months.

EPMU national postal & logistics coordinator Anna Kenny says the negotiations were difficult, with more than eight days of negotiations over several months.

"One sticking point in particular was the term of the agreement. Our members were very clear that we were to get a longer term document if possible, preferably of 24 months, but after hammering for seven and a half days we decided to take a thirty three month term to get the deal we wanted.

"The pay off was the rapid rise of hourly rates and a stepped bleed-in of additional annual leave which will give NZ Post workers with six years or more service as of 2012 five weeks annual leave."

Currently NZ Post workers with longer service get four weeks and two days.

Kenny says the rise in pay rates is very significant, particularly for lower paid workers and those who because of Future Post are on abated rates.

"Any worker at NZ Post who is a grade 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6 worker and who joins the EPMU by 31 August will get backpay to 1 July. This will be welcome news for workers who have been struggling with recent increases in the cost of living, especially in food and petrol."

EPMU members will receive an immediate increase of 4% backdated to 1 July. In nine months wages will increase by a further 2.5% taking wages to 6.6% above current rates.