A Coles worker who had claimed she was worse off under the supermarket's wage deal has settled with the retail giant and helped bring forward a vote on a new workplace agreement.
Coles said it has reached an agreement with Penelope Vickers, a Brisbane mother who stacks shelves, over an industrial dispute.
Under the agreement, Ms Vickers has withdrawn her application to the Fair Work Commission to terminate a 2011 Coles enterprise bargaining agreement which workers were switched to after the 2014 agreement was scrapped due to a legal challenge.
Coles has agreed to fast track a new enterprise agreement, and said it will conduct a vote no later than February 28.
It also said the new agreement will pay more than the Award at all times, improve penalty rates, add benefits including two days paid domestic violence leave, paid natural disaster leave and paid compassionate leave of up to five days, and allow staff to choose their superannuation fund.
It will also give eligible staff a transition payment, reflecting the pay structure in the new enterprise agreement for the period between any successful vote and the start of the new agreement.
