Alison Stott is the agency lead negotiator for the ATO’s next enterprise agreement. With nearly 20,000 staff, two unions and 37 employee bargaining representatives, she has a big job ahead of her. Add in the complexity posed by APS Reform and APS-wide bargaining, and we knew we needed to sit down with her to understand what has prepared her for this role. We also chatted to her about what makes a successful bargaining process, and how she wants HR Professionals to stand up and be connected partners in the formation of their agency’s new enterprise agreement.
I understand you played a key role in the bargaining team at the ACT Government. Can you tell us a bit about that?
I was the Chief People Officer for the Education Directorate of the ACT Government, where I managed the enterprise agreement bargaining process that led to the ACT Public Sector Education Directorate (Teaching Staff) Enterprise Agreement 2018-2022. To give context, it was a very tough industrial environment with lots of disputes. There were over 6,500 staff involved, working under six different agreements and three unions that were also very heavily involved.
We spent the first 3 months working out the bargaining strategy and then around 6 months in bargaining. The outcome was no industrial action throughout the whole process, and I worked hard to build strong, mutually beneficial relationships with the three unions.
When we went to the vote after 6 months of bargaining, almost 99% of respondents voted yes – which was a major achievement – particularly noting there were no disputes or escalations to Fair Work.
Wow, that is impressive. What do you think made that process so successful?
There were a few reasons why I think that process went so well.
Firstly, the team and I worked hard to build a strong bargaining strategy early on. I listened to what people wanted and sourced good intel on the ground. I was also joining a team who knew the staff well and understood what was important to them – that makes such a difference in any process. I also built strong relationships with the unions and made sure our negotiations were based on interest-based bargaining, which seeks a cooperative approach to bargaining that focuses on the common interests of the parties involved.
The process had both a service-wide and agency-specific component didn’t it, like the one we have currently underway across the APS?
Yes, it did. It was the fourth time that bargaining in the ACT had happened like that, so there was already a good level of understanding of what that meant and why it was being done that way.
Because this is the first time bargaining at the APS level has happened across two parts, there will be a lot of work around building the narrative about the two components, what this means and how it fits within the broader APS reform agenda.
It’s such a big program of work. What do you need from HR Professionals to make the process as effective and efficient as possible?
I really want to partner with HR Professionals and other corporate areas to keep an eye on implementation. It’s a very ambitious bargaining timetable and what I don’t want to lose sight of is how the proposals will translate to HR on the ground. I will also need the help of HR Professionals to advise us on how to communicate changes with managers.
There is a real opportunity for HR professionals to be involved. A new enterprise agreement influences your whole HR strategy – so you need to be across what is happening and what the changes will mean once they are implemented. Be proactive – read updates, attend webinars, speak with your managers and colleagues. Don’t be afraid to be a connected partner and if you need to know more ask your Agency Lead Negotiator (ALN).
As I said earlier, there is also a real need to build the narrative around how this fits within the broader program of reform happening in the APS. We need HR professionals to understand the drivers and help communicate to APS staff how greater commonality in terms and conditions, will benefit the APS.
How do you see bargaining as fitting into the government’s broader APS Reform?
APS Reform is a huge program of work that will see significant change across the APS over the next decade. As HR Professionals we need to be in the driver’s seat for a lot of that change. The enterprise agreement is just one element within a massive program of work.
What advice do you have for HR professionals looking to follow a similar career path to yours?
When it comes to bargaining, if you ever get the opportunity to be part of the bargaining team you should give it a go. It is one of the most significant ways you can shape HR, and a great way to develop your strategic skills and leverage all kinds of expertise. In my bargaining team at the ATO, for example, we have economists, communications professionals, lawyers and, of course, HR professionals. It is a fast-paced, exciting environment where everyone gets to bring their skills to the table and learn from each other. What we do has a big impact on the APS and the future of government services more broadly.
In such a fast-paced, dynamic environment how do you sustain a high performing team and make sure they can maintain the pace for the long haul?
I think teams are at their best when everyone looks after each other and there is a genuine feeling of care amongst the team. Having the right skill set is obviously also very important. In my current team we were very strategic when it came to making sure we had the right mix of expertise. We also established a structure and standard operating procedures very early on – so we knew when and how to communicate with each other and set some boundaries between work and home. I am also very fortunate to have terrific support in my personal life. I know that’s not always the case with everyone but, where I can, I always advocate to my people to nurture their family and friends. They are the people who really sustain us and make our work worthwhile.