Employees will stop work for one day next Friday May 25 if Note Printing Australia (NPA) doesn't come back to the table, as part of a series of industrial actions following months of unsuccessful negotiation with management.
The industrial action approved by an overwhelming 97 percent of employees is aimed at bringing management back to negotiate with workers, according to Tony Piccolo, assistant secretary for print at AMWU Victoria. "We’re hoping that with the strong ballot result and the planned industrial action, the company will return to the table with a renewed offer," he said.
The union is demanding a four percent pay rise for employees, as well as a labour-hire casual conversion clause, a domestic violence clause, and a review of the classification structure to be completed. "It’s our without-prejudice offer, and is subject to change depending on the company’s willingness to negotiate prior to any industrial action," said Piccolo.
Note Printing Australia is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Reserve Bank, whose governor Phillip Lowe called for a 3.5 percent increase in wages across the country in February. Piccolo has challenged NPA management, and the RBA, to lead by example. “The members just want a fair agreement that delivers the wage rises the RBA itself is calling for. But the workers have shown through this very strong result in the protected action ballot that they are willing to take action if the company refuses to come to the table,” he said.
NPA has produced Australian banknotes for more than 100 years, evolving from T.S. Harrison’s original print works that produced Australia’s first circulating banknote series in 1913. Management was unavailable for comment.