Health and Community Services Union

Union Acts to Secure Wage Increase for Administrative and Support Staff
28 May 2009

HACSU has acted to secure new wage increases for our administrative and support services members working in mental health.

This has been done in association with the HSU Victorian Branch that covers your colleagues who do the same work across the wider health services.

HACSU members along with other administrative and support staff working across the wider health services will receive wage increases of 3.25% per annum over the next 2 years, with increases paid on 1 August 2009 and 31 July 2010. That amounts to a 6.5% wage increase paid within the next 15 months.
The decision to secure the wage increases follows the government’s announcement of its new 2.5% per annum wages policy which is effect from 5 May 2009. We have had to act quickly to ensure you benefit from the governments previous wages policy. Our prompt negotiations have avoided bargaining from the lower level of 2.5%, particularly in the current economic climate.

You would be aware from our previous communications; your overall terms and conditions are set in two stages. Firstly, your conditions are determined during the Psychiatric Services EBA negotiations, followed by your wages outcome being aligned to the broader health services outcome. - Both stages are now concluded.

Overall we believe that the combined conditions with the 6.5% increase in wages paid within the next 15 months is a good outcome for members that will provide financial certainty in the context of the governments reduced wages policy and during this period of global economic crisis.
In summary, the overall and combined outcomes of the bargaining provide members with the following:
  • 6.5% wage increase in 2 installments
    • 3.25% - 1 August 2009
    • 3.25% - 31 July 2010
  • Increased parental leave
  • Paid leave to engage in volunteer emergency relief activities
  • Reimbursement of child care expenses where less than 24 hrs notice is given of the requirement to work overtime.
  • In principle agreement for salary sacrifice to defined benefits superannuation funds as per government policy
  • Protection and maintenance of all current entitlements – There are no trade offs
  • Forensicare Ward Clerks being paid Forensic Skills Development Payment.
In addition there will be ongoing work and discussions between the union and the Victorian Hospitals Industrial Association (VHIA) to see if we can reach agreement on:
  • the disputed work value of ward clerks working in mental health and,
  • the pay rate differences between the FSO’s and PSA classifications.
These outcomes will now be incorporated into the Psychiatric Services Certified Agreement following that, members will be asked to vote in support of the agreement.