Over the last few months your HSU Bargaining Representatives have raised serious concerns with NextSense about the bargaining process and the misleading ‘offers’ being put on the table.

NextSense has engaged in tactics that have slowed and frustrated the process. This is disappointing as members have spent many hours trying to negotiate a good agreement.

To get the process back on track we will be holding an all members meeting via Zoom on Thursday 29 April 2021 from 5:00PM to 6:30PM. Please click on this link to join: https://zoom.us/j/98370164758

We also wanted to bring you up to date about two key areas of contention:

Classifications and Pay

NextSense has proposed a classification structure that has very wide salary ranges (in some instances the salary variance is up to $50,000 for employees under the same classification). This proposal was strongly rejected by the HSU Bargaining Team who have argued that:

• employees with the same classification should be remunerated equally
• fair pay increases should occur annually
• with scope to progress to the top of the band via annual increments
• and historical entitlements are grandparented

These are the documents NextSense has provided so far on a new classification structure for your consideration. Please see links below:

• Proposed Classification Clauses (provided 13 April 2021)
• Proposed Classification Table (provided 4 March 2021)
• Proposed Salary Classification Rationale (provided 4 March 2021)
• Proposed Translocation Mapping (provided 4 March 2021)

Leave entitlements

Recently NextSense put out an update to staff about their “leave offer” to employees. This update misrepresents the offer because it only mentions the positives of the offer, not the negatives.

For example, NextSense says it is offering “Generous additional leave entitlements for all staff, with greater flexibility”. This not completely true. While there are some positive additions to leave entitlements, many employees will experience a significant decrease in annual leave entitlements, which for many of our members is the most important form of leave as it ensures they can have a greater work/life balance.

To understand the full impact of the offer please see the NextSense proposed clauses.

• Proposed Leave Clauses (provided 13 April 2021)

To see NextSense’s updated Bargaining Position Paper on 13 April 2021, please see:

• Bargaining Position Paper (updated 13 April 2021)

Next steps

Members are encouraged to attend the members meeting via Zoom on Thursday 29 April 2021 from 5:00PM to 6:30PM. Please click on this link to join: https://zoom.us/j/98370164758

In the meantime, if you would like to give feedback on the bargaining, the ‘offers’ or have any concerns please contact your HSU Industrial Officer Ed Yap, Industrial Officer at [E-Mail not displayed] or 0409 890 111, or your local HSU Bargaining Representative.

 In unity, 

Gerard Hayes

Secretary NSW/ACT/QLD