Staff at the Reserve Bank of Australia have voted decisively to reject a new enterprise agreement centred on a proposed pay rise of 4 per cent (in the first year of a three-year agreement).
The RBA confirmed yesterday that 57 per cent of staff voted against the agreement in a ballot, with 43 per cent in favour.
Since talks between the Finance Sector Union and the RBA opened in May, several banks – NAB, ANZ and Bendigo and Adelaide Bank – have agreed to pay rises of 5 per cent this year.
The RBA is as mindful as any employer that annual inflation is running at 6 per cent, though beginning to taper.
Jason Hall, national assistant secretary of the FSU yesterday said “it was clear from the No vote that staff at the RBA are very unhappy with the bank’s inadequate offer.
“We hope the RBA now understands that it must deal with the expectations of its workforce and substantially increase this pay offer.”
The RBA said in a statement: “The bank is disappointed with the outcome of the vote on its enterprise agreement offer. We consider the offer was fair and reasonable for our employees.
“The bank is currently considering the results and will resume bargaining in due course.”