in suspense
Fourth time ‘lucky’ for staff pay offer Neil Walker neil@baysidenews.com.au
Off the shelf: Frankston Library engagement coordinator Susan Bentley with the most popular book hired from municipality libraries last year. Picture: Gary Sissons
food wellness code and cookbook by Sarah Wilson n The Good Cop: The true story of Ron Iddles, Australia’s greatest detective by Justine Ford n Spark Joy: An illustrated guide to the Japanese art of tidying by Marie Kondo “We’ve had more than 380,000 visits to our libraries in 2017, with over 32,000 people attending library programs and events, 746,946 books and 39,728 ebooks borrowed throughout
the year,” Cr Hampton said. Frankston City Libraries membership is free and a wide range of books, newspapers, magazines, movies and music is available to borrow. There are library branches in Frankston, Carrum Downs, Seaford, Frankston North, Karingal and Langwarrin. There is also a mobile library service. See library.frankston.vic.gov.au for more details.
A PAY deal for Frankston Council staff has been agreed at the fourth time of asking. Council employees voted in late December to accept a new enterprise bargaining agreement (EBA) after council management increased a pay offer of 1.4 per cent to a 2 per cent annual rise in salary. The vote to accept the latest deal came after two previous pay and conditions proposals were voted down by a majority of Australian Workers’ Union members at Frankston Council (“Pay offer rejected again by workers”, The Times 21/8/17). A third vote had to be recast due to a legal technicality. ASU branch executive president Michelle Jackson said the union is pleased workers showed solidarity during lengthy EBA negotiations between the union and council. “It was a significant improvement on the original offer,” Ms Jackson said. “We’re really proud of our members who fought for a better deal for everyone.” The agreement is awaiting final approval from the Fair Work Commission. Council CEO Dennis Hovenden said more than 97 per cent of staff voted in favour of the agreement last month. “Final negotiations resolved outstanding matters, with the new agreement featuring a 2 per cent annual pay rise, commitments to review working hours, additional leave for circumstances such as domestic violence, additional three days paid leave between Christmas and New Year and many other increased benefits
and allowances,” he said. “We thank our employees for taking the opportunity to cast their vote on this important matter, and look forward to working together to deliver the vital services our community deserves.” Negotiations between the ASU and council management saw the union argue the initial 1.4 per cent pay rise offer was effectively a pay cut since the increase would be lower than the annual consumer price index, also known as the cost of living. The union highlighted Mr Hovenden’s near 10 per cent pay rise in 2015, taking his remuneration to $325,000, while urging staff to vote against the 1.4 per cent pay rise deal last year. In March last year then mayor Cr Brian Cunial issued a statement saying councillors had offered the CEO pay rises in 2016 and 2017 but they were “declined” each year. Questions to council last week asking if any other arrangements had been offered to the CEO in lieu of pay rises went unanswered before publication deadline.
Drowning after boat capsizes A MAN drowned and a woman was taken to hospital with severe hypothermia after their boat capsized about 30 kilometres off Carrum, Thursday 18 January. Another boat picked them up and took them to St Kilda Marina where emergency services were called just before 10am. The man died at the scene. The woman was taken to the Alfred hospital. Police said they would examine the boat to try to find out why it capsized in calm conditions. They said the man’s death was not being treated as suspicious.
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Frankston Times 22 January 2018
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