Health and Community Services Union

The Health and Community Services Union (HACSU), one of several unions collaborating in the Equal Pay case, has welcomed the decision by Fair Work Australia that disability and mental health workers, along with other social and community services workers, will ultimately receive significant increases.

“This is a great day for our members working in non-government organisations as disability support workers and mental health workers in psychiatric disability rehabilitation support services (PDRSS)”, says Lloyd Williams, State Secretary.

The DHS Thin Client Project was rolled out to over 200 group homes in 2011 across the Gippsland, Eastern and North-West Regions. DAS staff changed over to the Thin Client system experienced a number of significant computer issues that also impacted the Roster and Attendance System.

In early October 2011, and on the advice of our members, HACSU sought that a moratorium on the Thin Client rollout be instituted until the major systems issues were fixed. DHS attempts to fix server issues have so far not worked, and have not provided long-term solutions. DHS has continued to attempt to find fixes to the issues raised whilst no further rollout has occurred.

HACSU has received queries regarding non-clinical work and paperwork bans.
HACSU asserts that members and delegates have the capacity to make decisions about whether or not particular documentation or process is required for the clinical care of a client. If they determine that particular paperwork or a process does not impact detrimentally on client care/treatment, then HACSU supports that decision.
If management want that process or paperwork completed, they will have to do it themselves.