Victorian public servants are voting this week on a new agreement with the state, promising enhanced salaries and improved conditions over the next four years. 

The Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU) and the state of Victoria have signed a head of agreement, and the proposed VPS 2024 Agreement is now being circulated to employees, with an electronic ballot running from 1st to 5th July.

The new agreement includes several key features aimed at improving working conditions. Employees will receive an additional five days of leave for health concerns related to reproductive rights, menstruation, and menopause. 

Parental leave benefits will be enhanced, with superannuation payments extended to 104 weeks and shift penalties included for shift workers on leave. 

A feasibility study and working group will explore alternative work methods within the VPS. There is also a mechanism to compensate some additional unpaid hours for employees at Grade 5 and above.

The agreement introduces new conversion arrangements for fixed-term and casual employees to permanent roles. Employers will need to give genuine consideration to flexible work requests from any employee and provide reasons if requests cannot be approved. Processes supporting flexible and hybrid work will be improved, and the cashing out of annual leave will not be restricted to specific months.

A review process will continue to establish common emergency management provisions, with a 12-month review timeframe. The eligibility for paid parental leave will no longer require three months of paid continuous service. The application of shift penalties and overtime for casual employees will be clarified, and the gender affirmation leave provision will be updated.

Other updates include the implementation of change clause to ensure consistency, clarification of disturbance allowance for travel over 10 kilometres, rewording of relocation cost provisions, skill recognition for previously held roles, amendments to blood donation and study leave provisions, updated leave provisions for attending the First People's Assembly Victoria, and ensuring compliance with salary payment provisions under the Financial Management Act. 

The probationary period and leave of absence clauses will allow consideration of short breaks in service as continuous service. Personal leave evidence requirements will be updated for flexibility, especially for employees with chronic illnesses, and the classification structure will include set pay-points for VPS 5 to 7 classified employees with transitional arrangements for existing employees. 

Additionally, occupational health and safety training content will be separated from industrial training clauses.

The CPSU Victoria branch says that the new VPS 2024 Agreement delivers a comprehensive boost to VPS conditions.