Negotiating your Salary and work hours

Negotiating your Salary and work hours

After getting a job, most of us will be wondering what our pay and work hours like. Some will just jump in to sign the contract.. after all the pay in the contract is much higher than our previous pay in Singapore.. But before you do anything .. please wait!!!! Read this article first!.

 In Australia, there are 2 kinds of "job contracts", Individual contracts or Award/Enterprise agreement.. which on are you on?

Individual Contract

It may be an "individual contract" e.g. your pay is confidential to you only. You can negotiate your own pay and terms of contract like working hours or other benefits.

For individual contract it maybe more flexible, you should be able to negotiate your own salary, whether you want to salary sacrifice your pay to buy a car, for your house mortgage, RDOs etc..

For those of you who are not too sure on the negotiation process, joining a union may help as they have experienced people who can help you look through your contract before you sign it.


Award or Enterprise agreement

It maybe part of a award or enterprise agreement, where someone / or some group (Usually a union) has already negotiated your pay and benefits on behalf of you. Your pay and benefits will be exactly the same as the person doing the same job as you are.

When you accept a job in this category, means you accept the terms of your enterprise agreement. You can search award or enterprise agreements at Fair Work Australia website http://www.fwa.gov.au/
Unions:

Award / enterprise agreement are non negotiable with no extra claim while in force unless provisioned, you will be unable to vary any terms or conditions while the award/enterprise agreement is in force.

Usually they are in force for a period of 2 years where the next round of negotiation with the employer commence. You will be able to nominate a representative, which is usually your union to negotiate on your
behalf.

Sometimes there maybe a dispute with the employer on the negotiation process over pay and conditions. Then there's the usual stop work meetings, strikes, etc that you see on tv quite often..

For professionals, there's Apesma, they can help you if you are a member
http://www.apesma.com.au/

For tradies
Go thru the website and find the union that is most relevant to your job.
http://www.unionsaustralia.com.au


Working Hours
Typically 38 hours week,
Some jobs has flexible starting and ending time, just check or arrange with your boss
Some company may pay overtime or penalty rates, please check with your employer

Benefits
In NSW, everyone is entiled to 2 months long service leave after working for the same employer for 10 years.
Some jobs usually award/enterprise agreement usually provision for a "RDO" or rotating day off once or twice a month.