Claims extracted
20
sentences that state something as happening or true
Uncertain
10%
2 of 20 hedged
("reportedly", "may", "according to")
Leaning
Leans left
of the writing, not the subject · beta estimate
Publisher signals
68/100
ABC News (AU)'s corrections and
hedging, across everything collected from it. Not a measure of accuracy.
Outlets on this story
1
Economy/Business
Same framing elsewhere
1
articles that frame the event the way this one does
In short:
A new payroll system implemented by Sydney Water in July has regularly paid employees below their entitlements and often late, according to unions.
uncertain
system → implement → unions
The Australian Services Union has called for the old system to be implemented and has commenced industrial action against the water utility.
What's next?
asserted
What → call → utility
Sydney Water says it is working to resolve individual cases and is offering trust-based payments for employees facing financial hardship.
asserted
it → say → hardship
Sydney Water is facing stop-works from more than half its employees after multiple unions moved to take industrial action over a bungled new payroll system rollout that has left hundreds of workers owed thousands.
asserted
that → face → thousands
Unions say the new Dayforce system that was rolled out in July has consistently paid workers late or failed to pay penalties and overtime, leading to financial distress among members.
asserted
that → say → members
Members from the Australian Services Union (ASU), Australian Manufacturing Workers Union (AMWU) and Professionals Australia (PA) moved to take actions such as work bans and four-hour stoppages on a rolling basis.
asserted
Members → move → basis
This week, ASU members, including at least half of the 3,000 staff employed by Sydney Water, have committed to not chasing up unpaid water bills, not providing access to contractors on capital works projects, or driving on motorways or tollways as part of industrial action.
asserted
members → include → action
ASU secretary Angus McFarland said members knew the Dayforce system was not equipped to factor in the variety of allowances and penalties hundreds of employees depended on.
asserted
hundreds → say → employees
"A huge bulk of their income is from those arrangements that they rely upon for rent payments, mortgage payments, child support payments," Mr McFarland said.
"Failure to provide regular and reliable pay is causing severe stress to our members."
"We're actually at this point now where now we're facing October and it still hasn't been fixed."
asserted
it → rely → October
Mr McFarland said the union was calling for the old payroll system to be re-instated and emergency payments to be made to affected workers.
asserted
payments → say → workers
He also said the union had taken the issue up with the Fair Work Commission, the Fair Work Ombudsman and the NSW Industrial Relations Commission.
asserted
union → say → Commission
A spokesperson for Sydney Water said the utility had apologised to employees who had been affected during the rollout.
asserted
who → say → rollout
"Every effort should be made to pay employees correctly and on time, and we are continuing to address these issues as a priority," the spokesperson said.
asserted
spokesperson → make → priority
"Dedicated teams are working to identify and correct pay discrepancies, address underlying system and process issues, and reduce outstanding payroll enquiries."
"This includes regular reconciliation and remediation payments, additional payroll and advisory resources, and priority system improvements.
asserted
This → work → payments
The spokesperson said employees facing financial hardship could access trust-based payments and other support services.
uncertain
employees → say → payments
PA, which represents project managers and specialist engineers, says the Dayforce issues have also affected managers who are not sure if their fellow workers will be paid on time.
asserted
workers → represent → time
"It has cased significant amounts of distress to the workforce who want to simply have a payroll system that they know will pay them accurately and on time," senior industrial officer with PA Kathleen Suddert said.
asserted
Suddert → case → PA
Rollout times with enterprise bargaining negotiations
The payroll issue came as the state-owned utility has been involved in pay negotiations with the unions since the beginning of this year.
asserted
utility → come → year
Professionals Australia had been arguing to be covered by the enterprise bargaining agreement rather than remunerated under contracts that were evaluated every year.
asserted
that → argue → contracts
Sydney Water is also facing action from Electrical Trade Union members, who have also taken industrial action against Confluence Water, a Sydney Water maintenance contractor.
asserted
who → face → Water
The Aporia