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Home >News >Yooralla members to take action!

Yooralla members to take action!

2016-06-08

HACSU is pleased to report that members have successfully won the vote and the right to take protected industrial action, well done all!

 

 

DSW AGREEMENT PROTECTED ACTION CAMPAIGN

 

 

 

 

_UPDATE AS ON JUNE 10TH

 

HACSU are writing to members regarding the email sent to Yooralla DSWs on Wednesday June 8th. Titled enterprise bargaining update #7

 

The information in this letter is misleading. All bans that HACSU members are participating in are partial work bans, and you must be paid as per the fair work act section 470 (2).

 

Yooralla’s letter refers to section 416 of the fair work act which details employees taking action do not have to be paid. THIS DOES NOT APPLY TO YOORALLA MEMBERS TAKING HACSU PROTECTED ACTION.

 

The actions that HACSU has put forward are ‘partial work bans’ as per the fair work act. Meaning that members taking protected MUST BE PAID.

 

Protected action will go ahead as on 7am on June 14. If you have any questions or concerns contact HACSU assist immediately.

 

The letter sent by Yooralla is another example of the tactics management have used to deny disability support workers decent wages and conditions.

 

Yooralla customers’ support is worth more than the minimum wage.

 

 

WHAT IS PROTECTED ACTION?

Protected Action Ballot is an important industrial tool that unions can use in order to influence the outcome of an EBA. Protected action involves banning certain types of work and in some cases, stopping work all together. All HACSU protected actions are completely legal and have been approved by the Fair Work Commission.

WHY ARE WE DOING IT?

The Yooralla DSW agreement was last negotiated 10 years ago. Yooralla have consistently delayed negotiations to improve conditions for DSWs. Yooralla put forward a draft EBA which didn’t offer any improvements to wages or conditions for DSWs and in some areas sought to cut allowances. It is time Yooralla valued the work of DSWs with an EBA that offers decent wages and conditions.

WHO CAN TAKE PROTECTED ACTION?

All HACSU members working in disability support can take the actions listed below.

WHEN DOES THE ACTION BEGIN?

Members can begin to take action as of Tuesday, 14th June 2016

HOW LONG DOES THE ACTION LAST?

The actions will last as long as needed. HACSU will keep protected action in place until an agreement is reached.

CAN I GET IN TROUBLE FOR TAKING ACTION?

No. HACSU protected action is completely lawful. You cannot be disciplined by your employer as a result. If you have any trouble, are unsure or have been informed otherwise, please contact HACSU immediately.

WILL PROTECTED ACTION AFFECT SERVICE DELIVERY?

HACSU protected action has been carefully designed not to impact on service delivery. It is designed to put pressure on senior management.

CAN MY EMPLOYER ASK IF I AM TAKING ACTION?

You do not have to answer this question. The union will notify employers when the stop works will take place. If someone asks you this question you do not need to answer. If management asks you this question, record the date and time and let HACSU know immediately.

It is important to note that the responsibility for these tasks to be completed is with senior management. Yooralla senior management has been notified that HACSU protected action bans are taking place - thus it is their responsibility to cover this work.

LIST OF ACTIONS

  1. 1.No collection and recording or documenting, either physically or electronically, information, including:
  • monthly medication checklist,
  • monthly service feedback log,
  • client expense sheets,
  • fire evacuation drill checklist,
  • lifestyle Plan/Action Plan Monthly Review Update,
  • Monthly File Review,
  • Individual Monthly Update Review of Customer Support Plans,
  • Review of Health Support Plans,
  • Review of Behaviour Support Plans dependant on the level of risk which will be assessed by the nurse and/or clinician on duty.
  1. Bans on support workers undertaking rostering duties.
  2. Do not complete vehicle log books.
  3. Do not sign off in the Communication Book that you have read documents.
  4. Wearing union t-shirts and badges or displaying union information, documents and talking to customers, families and guardians about quality of care and the need to attract a quality workforce by paying appropriate wages and conditions to workers during work hours.
  5. Wear your campaign t-shirt during working hours
  6. Displaying posters, slogans and colours in the workplace, and in vehicles containing campaign information
  7. Refuse to act outside your scope of employment

 

All actions have been designed carefully and will NOT impact on the safety and wellbeing of customers, instead will put pressure on senior management and Yooralla executives to agree to a fair deal for hard working DSWs.

If you have any questions or concerns

Contact HACSU assist

Phone 1300 651 931 | 9340 4100  

Email assist@hacsu.asn.