It takes expertise, planning and skill to implement an enterprise agreement. Humanify HR Consulting was proud to recently partner with YWCA Canberra to deliver the new YWCA Canberra Enterprise Agreement 2023-2027.

On 6 June 2023, the Fair Work Legislation Amendment (Secure Jobs, Better Pay) Act 2022 brought into effect several changes to the Australian industrial relations framework, specifically related to enterprise bargaining.

At Humanify HR Consulting, we partner with organisations to help them successfully navigate enterprise bargaining from start to finish.

YWCA Canberra is a not-for-profit organisation that has provided community services and represented women’s issues in Canberra for over 90 years when it was founded in 1929. Since this time, YWCA Canberra has been intrinsically connected to the history of Canberra itself in response to changing local and societal contexts. 

With over 350 employees located across Canberra, YWCA Canberra provides essential, quality services for women, girls and families in the ACT and surrounding regions. The organisation works in the areas of children’s services, community development, homelessness and affordable housing, domestic and family violence, youth services, personal and professional training, women’s leadership and advocacy.

The diversity of the work provided by YWCA Canberra requires an enterprise agreement that is fit-for-purpose and meets both the current and future needs of the organisation. As part of laying the foundation for enterprise bargaining to successfully deliver this new enterprise agreement, Humanify HR Consulting worked with senior leaders at YWCA Canberra to develop a bargaining strategy that would guide the outcomes and priorities of the negotiation.

Our seven-step enterprise bargaining advisory service guides our clients through the complexity of enterprise bargaining and consists of:

1. Preliminary assessment of existing enterprise agreement

2. Developing a bargaining position and/or strategy

3. Commencing bargaining through issuing the Notice of Employee Representational Rights (NERR)

4. Technical advice to support the enterprise bargaining process

5. Drafting the new enterprise agreement

6. Facilitating a secure and confidential employee vote

7. Preparing the agreement for Fair Work Commission submission and approval

This service is flexible and can be tailored to the individual needs and requirements of our clients.

On 8 December 2023, the Fair Work Commission approved the AG2023/4158 – YWCA Canberra Enterprise Agreement 2023-2027. Some of the key improvements of this new enterprise agreement were:

• The language used throughout the agreement was made more contemporary, aligned with the vision and mission of YWCA Canberra, and user-friendly for both new and existing staff to engage with. This approach resulted in the agreement reducing in length from the current 83 pages to the new agreement with only 52 pages, including clearer sections and improved overall structure.

• The previous enterprise agreement was approved with 23 undertakings.  The new agreement was approved with only 1 undertaking, related to minor changes to classifications.

• The inclusion of a four-day working week, available for employees to request as an additional flexible working option.

• The inclusion of three additional days leave for the Christmas closedown period.

• The addition of a probationary period of employment clause, that clearly sets out the requirements that apply during the probationary period of employment.

YWCA Canberra Chief Executive Officer, Frances Crimmins, said that: 

“Humanify Consulting were very professional and supportive from the commencement of review and drafting of our enterprise agreement, right up to the approval of the enterprise agreement. We were very happy to have the agreement completed and approved before the end of year shut down, to pass on the new leave entitlements to our valued staff.” 

“Here at Humanify HR Consulting, we aim to do interesting work with purposeful organisations and people. Having supported many organisations with the development and implementation of enterprise agreements, we know that it can be tricky to strike the right balance between achieving compliance with the different legislative requirements of enterprise bargaining, whilst still delivering a strong industrial relations framework that will set your organisation and people up for success. We are privileged to have had the opportunity to support YWCA Canberra with the delivery of this new enterprise agreement, thank you YWCA Canberra.” says Humanify HR Consulting Founder and Managing Director, Sarah Queenan. 

To find out more about the work of YWCA Canberra, including how you can support their mission of living in a world where girls and women thrive, click here.

Partnership Snapshot

Not-for-profit 

Duration

6 months (part-time)

Outcome

The delivery of the new YWCA Canberra Enterprise Agreement 2023-2027 AG2023/4158)