Health and Community Services Union

The 2010-11 State Budget released on May 5, saw two big wins for HACSU members. The budget contained $56 million to fund 42 new acute beds for Bendigo’s Mental Health Service. This is a significant investment by the government and follows years of lobbying and activism by the Union Office and HACSU delegates and members.

The Government, through the budget, also committed $14.2 million to build a 22 bed community care unit at the Heidelberg Repatriation Hospital to be operated by Austin Health. Again, this is a development that members have been campaigning for over several years. All metropolitan health services now have a CCU.

These two announcements have been key items in HACSU budget submissions.

During April, a series of regional meetings where held to vote to make official the Union Collective Agreement that HACSU members won in 2008.

The meetings had a decent turnout and the Agreement has received a resounding 'yes' vote.

It’s great to see such support for the agreement. Over the last ten years the wages and conditions of Disability Support Workers have improve immeasurably. And that is all thanks to the hard work of HACSU members on the campaign trail.

Once again, well done to all.

The agreement will be taken to Fair Work Australia for certification, at which point it all becomes official. 

HACSU has launched a new campaign website for the Respect in Disability Campaign members are currently running in support of Disability Support Workers in the Non-Government Sector.

The site will keep members and the general public up to date with the campaign, allow potential members to join up and lists which employers have passed on the pay increase they have been funded for, and which haven't.

The site also allows you to sign a pledge to join HACSU members at the National Day of Action on Thursday 10th June.

The new site can be found here: www.respectindisability.org.au.

Please tell your friends and colleagues about the site and visit it regularly to keep up to date with the campaign.

HACSU held a statewide delegates meeting on Tuesday 13th April to report back on the ongoing negotiations with the Department regarding the Roster Attendance Project [RAPs].

With the support of its delegates HACSU has won the voluntary use of the biometric system for existing employees. This is a significant concession by the DHS. Employees opting out of using biometrics will use a PIN number. New employees can opt out on legitimate religious, personal or health reasons. The DHS has not moved from its position to only roll out RAPs to rostered areas.

During April, a series of regional meetings for DHS employees will be held across the state where you will be able to vote for the Union Collective Agreement that members fought so hard for in 2008. By now, all HACSU members working for DHS should have received a brochure in the mail outlining the details of the vote and a reminder about what was won in 2008.

If you have not received one, please contact the Union office on 1300 651 931.

The voting schedule is as follows:

The DHS have now finally agreed to make the biometric finger scan associated with the proposed 'Roster and Attendance' system voluntary for all current staff. Current staff not wishing to participate in this system will be provided an alternative pin number system. Staff will effectively be able to choose which login system they prefer to use, thus alleviating the tensions felt by a number of members about such a system.

The HACSU campaign arising from the resolution passed at last years Statewide delegates meeting opposing Biometric scanning and calling for wider consultation. HACSU delegates have been working through the detail of the proposed system to resolve the concerns and issues of members.

This morning the catering and cleaning staff at Forensicare who are employed by MediRest voted overwhelmingly voted ‘yes’ in a protected action ballot.

This means that members are now able to take industrial action with legal protections. Members are now looking to implement actions if negotiations fail.

To date, MediRest have been reluctant to negotiate with HACSU and are paying their staff at rates which are below the Public Sector rates that they are contractually obliged to pay.

Forensicare Nursing staff have also been very supportive of MediRest staff, collecting over 150 signatures call on Forensicare to enforce the contract conditions with MediRest and standing with them today as the vote took place.

The Health and Community Services Union welcomed the news from the State Government today that Blackwood Cottage, located at Beechworth Hospital, would remain open.

The closure of the facility was being proposed by the Department of Health and the management of Beechworth Hospital and North and West Health. In response to community-run campaign against the closure, the Minister for Mental Health, Lisa Neville, announced yesterday that the State Government would act to prevent the closure of the facility.

HACSU and the DHS have agreed all outstanding issues on the wording for the new 2008 – 2012 EBA agreement.

While all the wages increases, new allowances and other benefits won in the 2008 EBA campaign and agreement have or continue to be implemented via the Heads of Agreement and Common Law Deed; the formal agreement to be registered by Fair Work Australia (FWA) under the new work laws has been the subject to what seems like endless discussions to conclude the wording of the final agreement. Its been no small task to incorporate the 2008 EBA wins and to simplify and remove redundant provisions from the old agreement.

All issues are now agreed and the final checking of the document is being undertaken. HACSU expects that meetings in workplaces and Regions will take place in March for employees to Vote on approving the agreement so that it can be lodged with Fair Work Australia.

A schedule of meeting will be circulated and the DHS will be required to facilitate staff attending in paid time – Keep an eye out for further details coming to your workplace email and home mail.

The Victorian Government has release the Strategy Implementation Plan 2009-2011, the implementation document for Because Mental Health Matters: Victorian Mental Health Reform Strategy 2009-19.

The Strategy Implementation Plan outlines the concrete actions to be undertaken over the next 2 years and the specific actions that will be undertaken in each of the eight Reform Areas that make up the overall strategy.

HACSU will be formally responding to the plan shortly and we welcome comments from members on the strategy.

The Plan can be downloaded from:
http://www.health.vic.gov.au/mentalhealth/reformstrategy/.