We’re optimistic in October! We’re getting very close to the end of the year now and we’re ready to host our favourite event of the year – the HACSU Conference! This year’s Conference welcomes over 150 HACSU delegates and activists from across Victoria to learn, share and network. Together, we’re the specialists in the mental health, disability and alcohol and other drugs sector and we bring a diverse range of knowledge, skills and support. If you’re new to the union, we welcome you! If you’d like to get involved as an activist or a delegate, get in touch with us today! – hacsu@hacsu.asn.au

This month, we’re recognising the dedication of our delegate and activist networks! This involves two days of sharing knowledge, workshopping ideas and fun, frivolity and laughter. For a sneaky preview of what’s in store at the conference, check out this article.

If you’re one of our hard-working delegates or activists, you might also be lucky enough to catch some of us costumed-up, getting into the spooky spirit of Halloween.

Our Assist team, Nikita, Sue, Michael and Ashley have dressed up their team office for Halloween! This faithful crew of committed HACSU officials are here five days a week to answer your calls with kindness, curiosity and support. Don’t forget, if you’re facing an industrial issue at work and you’re in need of advice, contact one of these knowledgeable officials who can help empower you to find the answers you seek.

Brand Refresh

You might have noticed something new in this month’s Hello HACSU – our new logo! (insert logo picture)

This logo update has been a piece of work many months in the making. It all began last year when we asked members how you felt about HACSU’s brand. The resounding answer was that you wanted us to present as more professional! Another reason that we chose to move forward with a new look is because as a collective, we’re really diverse! By changing our logo, we can ensure that our diverse membership is represented in our identity.

We worked with a branding agency to create a new logo that pays homage to our history as a union. We decided, after speaking with lots of members that the navy had to stay – and if you look closely, you’ll see that the new logo is a reference to the beloved stars of our past.

We’re looking forward to bringing you some fresh, professional new HACSU gear very soon!

Anna Stewart Memorial Project

We also welcome our fantastic Anna Stewart Memorial Project interns, Leah and Michelle! Leah comes to us from the mental health sector and Michelle works in the disability sector. You can read more about these two fantastic activists here.

Collective Bargaining at HACSU

We’re bargaining for several enterprise agreements across the disability sector this month, including negotiations with Scope, Melba and Aruma – thanks to members across these employers for your enthusiasm in these campaigns. We’re also working on the log of claims for our public mental health agreement. For our mental health delegates, you’ll have the exciting opportunity to review our claims and discuss ideas for bans for next year at the conference. For other members, if you haven’t already had your HACSU Organiser visit your worksite, please get in touch with us now – we need to hear from all members to develop our claims for the next EBA.

Jobs Australia Multi-Employer Agreement (MEA)

For members across a range of smaller non-government disability organisations, we’re still bargaining for the Jobs Australia MEA. This historical agreement will bring together lots of members under one umbrella – ensuring that these members have even greater collective bargaining power! You might see us visiting your group home or workplace soon to drop off some more information and talk to your colleagues about just how important it is to be a HACSU member NOW!

Want to learn more about collective bargaining for enterprise agreements? Click here to read about the role of union members and how you can take action! 

Members shouldn’t be worse of working at Mambourin!

We’ve currently working with the AEU and members at Mambourin to keep wages and conditions safe. Mambourin has applied to the Fair Work Commission to terminate its longstanding Collective Enterprise Agreement (EBA) with its staff. They want to reduce staff wages, and reduce annual leave, personal leave, and long service leave for its staff. HACSU members will not accept that the NDIS can be used to justify an erosion of workers’ rights and conditions; not least in the context of price rises within the NDIS scheme. To read more about this important issue, click here. 

Member WIN!

Skye is a Disability Support Worker who was incorrectly classified under in her role as a home duties worker. Working with HACSU Officials, most recently Lisa, Skye has won reclassification to her proper role and has won back pay for her work since 2017.

Skye is now being paid properly, given the qualifications she has relating to outdoor education and can happily continue to provide the fantastic, tailored support to people she works with.

Well done Skye!

It pays to be part of the union – we wouldn’t be able to get great wins like these if it weren’t for our dedicated members. To ensure all workers in the health and community services sectors are well supported, we need as many members as possible to be part of the union. The more members we have, the louder our collective voice!

If you want to learn more about the benefits of being a HACSU member get in touch today. We can organise to visit your workplace and talk to your colleagues about being part of something bigger!  hacsu@hacsu.asn.au

Thanks to the work of members and officials at HACSU, we were able to secure this great win!