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A new pay deal for ABC employees breaks many of the rules imposed by the Coalition for workplace deals at other government workplaces. Workers at the national broadcaster have voted by a margin of 71 per cent to accept an new enterprise agreement, containing new provisions for specified domestic violence leave, a more generous parental leave scheme and a 2 per cent pay rise, back paid until July 1. The new agreement is in open defiance of the government's plea that the ABC's new deal be in line with its tough workplace bargaining policy, which expressly forbids back pay and strictly limits "enhancements" to workplace entitlements. But the ABC said on Thursday that the new deal contained "key elements" of the hardline bargaining policy which has fuelled disputes across the Australian Public Service that are now into their third year. The Coalition is locked in bitter conflict with public sector unions over the issue of specified leave for domestic violence victims, with Employment Minister Michaelia Cash, who is opposed to the entitlement, accused this week of snubbing a conference with the states which was due discuss the issue. Public servants, including those at the Prime Minister's own department have been told specified domestic violence leave is an "enhancement" to working conditions and unacceptable under the Coalition's tough public sector bargaining framework. The ABC's 5000 workers will get a pay rise of 2 per cent per year for the three year deal, broadly in line with what has been offered to public servants, and they will be entitled to seven days domestic violence leave and maternity leave will be boosted from 14 weeks to 16 weeks, with 2 to 4 weeks supporting partner leave. Women at the ABC will be paid their superannuation while taking time off to have their children, in a bid to close the "super gap" for women. One ABC workplace union, the CPSU, concedes it had to make some concessions around rostering and some other "downsides" but the union said it was pleased overall with the outcome. "ABC staff have now secured a modest pay rise while holding onto the vast majority of their rights and conditions and gaining important new benefits that should be provided by all modern employers," the union's national secretary Nadine Flood said. "Even better, they've done so without a long and divisive fight with their bosses." "There couldn't be clearer evidence that it's the Turnbull Government that's to blame for the Commonwealth bargaining impasse. "It's the reason why three-quarters of these workers still don't have a new agreement after nearly three years." An ABC spokesman said the new agreement conformed with "key elements" of the government's bargaining policy. "The ABC conducted its bargaining in accordance with its legislative obligations and the offer aligned with key elements of the government's Workplace Bargaining Policy, including a 2 per cent pay increase per annum over three years," he said. "The removal of significant restrictive practices, which will result in productivity gains including streamlining of performance management, recruitment and dispute resolution processes and the casual call-out process." Senator Cash and Senator Fifield's offices were contacted for comment but did not respond before deadline on Thursday.

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