News

Dear Ministers, The COVID-19 pandemic has now moved from an emergency/acute response phase into a period of rolling waves of hopefully lower peaks but with a baseline of significant ongoing burden on the health system.

We need you to ensure your colleagues are using the NDIS tracker to report unfunded time and unfilled shifts! Download posters for your worksite.

HACSU's Kate Marshall speaks to the On The Job podcast about reproductive health and wellbeing leave

After bargaining since September 2021, HACSU is getting close to getting a full draft agreement with Home@Scope for your next EBA.

The MEA is a multi-employer agreement between HACSU and over 20 employers across Victoria. After working on your new EBA since August 2022, HACSU has reached an in-principle agreement on your new EBA.

Last week the Fair Work Commission formally approved the Aruma Victoria Enterprise Agreement 2023 — open to learn more.

The union movement welcomes the Federal Government’s announcement today that superannuation is to be paid on the same day as wages.

Every year on April 28, the trade union movement unites around the world to mark International Workers’ Memorial Day. We mourn those who have died at work or because of their work, and we fight like hell for the living.

A casual vacancy has arisen for one (1) position of Ordinary Member on the HACSU Branch Committee of Management (BCOM).

Racial justice and first-nations justice is indivisible from economic justice, and not just because some of our members are first nations people.

After being approved by members, the Fair Work Commission has approved the Life Without Barriers Disability Services Enterprise Agreement 2022-2025.

As a member, you have the right to be informed about the roster review process and your entitlements — get our factsheet.

After 30 great years at HACSU our comrade, colleague and friend, John Creamer, is retiring.

The ACTU announced today it will seek a 7% increase for Australia’s minimum and award wages as part of its submission to the Annual Wage Review.

We've put together a quick reference guide for penalty rates and other conditions for our largest agreements including Public Mental Health & the DSEAV.

HACSU members are often required to report incidents — get our factsheet on incident reporting.

Union members have won significant changes to improve the lives of women at work since last International Women’s Day.

The Centre for Mental Health Learning is running free online training for the public clinical mental health and wellbeing workforce.

HACSU Delegate's training sessions & regional training for HSRs (Ballarat & Wodonga).

Our submission sheds light on the critical steps that need to be taken to prevent harmful incidents and keep both workers and participants safe.

Australia Asia Worker Links (AAWL), Victorian Trades Hall Council, and other unions in Australia, Sri Lanka, Malaysia and the UK have been campaigning for several years to improve labour standards in the PPE...

Find out our opening hours and how to access urgent support Dec 23 – Jan 3.

Mental health workers should not be left worse off for moving between public mental health services during bargaining.

Read HACSU’s Disability Support Plan

Read HACSU’s Better Mental Health Plan

In July 2020 VicSuper and Aware Super merged – two like-minded brands stronger together. As part of this, VicSuper will be changing its name to Aware…

HSRs are invited to join online design workshops for a new WorkSafe education program — learn more and register for workshops in Oct/Nov here.

HACSU has partnered with the ACU and other organisations to study the impact of a resilience-building program, with mental health nurses at NorthWestern…

For all HACSU members impacted by floods, and for those whose loved ones and community are affected, Victorian Trades Hall has put together this set of…

A new public holiday has been declared for September 22nd, additional to the existing public holiday on September 23rd — and as with every public holiday…

HACSU is aware Life Without Barriers is trialing the “CardHero” payment app in a number of houses. We have serious concerns regarding the rollout of this…

Are you an excellent communicator with a passion for supporting working people? Apply today to join the team at HACSU!

The decision by the Albanese Government to axe the Pandemic Leave Disaster Payment will mean a return to the earliest and most costly mistakes of the pandemic…

The decision to stop the payments will hurt essential and low paid health, aged care and disability workers.

The new Victorian Public Mental Health Services. Enterprise Agreement is now in effect — meaning members have two pay rises coming their way…

Updated info on the winter retention payment for public health workers in Victoria.

HACSU is holding a virtual statewide meeting for admin staff in public mental health on Thursday 19 May, 7pm. We'll be discussing a number of key topics, including staffing profiles…

Last year HACSU ran our biggest ever safety audit across disability. A follow up to our first safety audit in 2020, it was our biggest survey ever. We found worrying trends across the sector — but we've also found…

Like with any other OHS issue, union members can eliminate the risk of gendered violence. That’s why HACSU is offering Safe and Respectful Workplaces training in June for HACSU members. HACSU has secured this training…

Urgent meeting regarding CIS released to members at MCM regarding transfer of services to Able Australia

HACSU is holding a virtual statewide meeting for lived experience staff in public mental health on Wednesday 29 June, 1pm. We'll be discussing a number of…

Are you looking to step up and get more actively involved with your union? Do you want to skill up on how to be the best union activist you can…

The Health Services Union (HSU) welcomes the announcement today that an Albanese Labor Government will strengthen the Fair Work Commission’s…

As announced earlier this year, postgrad scholarship funding has been secured for allied health and AOD practitioners working in state-funded…

From last week's ballot, Victorian public sector mental health workers have voted to approve the Victorian Public Mental Health Services. Enterprise Agreement 2020-2024. Of workers who voted…

Join other HACSU women for our first online meeting after launching our Women's Plan last month…

HACSU members pass motion at today's statewide stop work, setting a deadline for…

The Health and Community Services Union welcomes the Andrews Government’s announcement of a trial of five days' sick pay for people in casual and insecure work — with disability care being selected…

The Health and Community Services Union (HACSU) is today announcing major industrial action across Victoria’s public mental health services.

HACSU mental health members were given an EBA offer last year, but we’re still waiting for a full agreement. After weeks of being told we’d have a draft “soon”, HACSU advised the VHIA that we…

HACSU has long campaigned for gender equality to improve women’s working lives. As a union of workers in women-dominated industries, we are uniquely placed to lead the way in achieving progressive change. Over 65 per cent of our membership is women, and 72 per cent are under 35. Union women have…

Almost one-third (31%) of nearly 2500 disability support workers surveyed said they wanted to be in a different job in twelve months’ time. Nearly a third (31%) wanted to leave their jobs because of negative…

HACSU has joined a number of other unions, disability advocacy groups, and employers in calling for desperately needd financial support, asking Prime Minister Scott Morrison to meet with stakeholders to discuss an action plan for the sector.

The Federal Government has finally passed legislation to remove the $450 threshold to receive Superannuation contributions.

Are you a committed unionist with experience in finance and administrative support? If so – an exciting opportunity has opened at the Health and Community Services Union (HACSU) for a full-time…

A new survey from the Health and Community Services Union has confirmed that the disability sector has yet again been let down, with workers and NDIS participants bearing the brunt of the burden.

The Health and Community Services Union has received reports that a major disability provider has COVID-positive workers supporting COVID-positive group home residents in regional Victoria. This…

Unions call for emergency meeting with Prime Minister over Omicron crisis, lay out list of urgent actions needed for workers.

Looking back on 2021, and thinking forward to 2022 and beyond.

After two years of bargaining, the Victorian Government and the Victorian Hospitals' Industrial Association (VHIA) has presented an insulting offer to mental health workers at Forensicare.

As most members will be aware, HACSU recently attended a Fair Work Commission hearing with Albury Wodonga Health. The Commission hearing itself is “without prejudice”/”Private & Confidential” — normally…

From all of here at HACSU, we'd like to wish you and your loved ones a safe and happy festive season. The HACSU office will be closed for the three working days between Christmas and the beginning…

Find out what your entitlements are when working in public mental health or in DHHS/ex-DHHS transferred disability.

Health and Community Services Union (HACSU) members at Forensicare will stop work on Tuesday 7 December from 12PM-2PM, with the largest action to take place at Thomas...

For the duration of the pandemic, members of parliament and their staff from the government, and cross-bench members like Fiona Patten MP have stood up for healthcare workers, including HACSU members…

The Health and Community Services Union (HACSU) has serious concerns regarding Albury Wodonga Health’s decision to undertake unprecedented changes to its community mental health service. The service plans to collapse its community teams after closing…

Community mental health should not be excluded from the surge allowance. Today HACSU has written to Dan Andrews, Martin Foley MP, James Merlino, Steve Dimopoulos MP, Steve McGhie MP and Anthony Carbines MP calling for expanding the...

Tentative Agreement Reached on Public Mental Health

Safety is better when it is organised and represented!

Like many HACSU members, weare still waiting for details on community mental health eligibility for the newly-introduced Hospital Surge Support Allowance...

New allowance introduced for public hospital workers across Victoria, and support to bring Australian HCWs home from overseas...

This is a message to remind members that as per the public health order direction from the CHO (Chief Health Officer), from 15 October 2021, to work onsite at a work premises, workers must be able to provide evidence to their employer...

Following HACSU writing to Labor MPs across Victoria, we're asking all HACSU members to write to their MPs (either for your electorate, or the MPs that cover your mental health service...

HACSU has this week written to Victorian Government MPs on the crises in mental health, starting with MPs representing...

This week, HACSU members at Alfred Health have reported shockingly unsafe workplace situations developing due to severe understaffing...

ABC News, 29 September 2021: Unions question duress response times, staffing, and alleged return-to-work pressure after three Latrobe Regional Hospital staff were hurt by...

Geelong Advertiser, 29 September 2021: Barwon Health’s mental health services are under mounting pressure amid claims of a staffing shortage.

Next Wednesday, we're hosting a Mental Health EBA Town Hall to update you on where negotiations are up to and discuss the campaign's next steps.

Today the Victorian Government has announced that Possability will operate the remaining DAS services (Sandhurst SIL houses and the Children's Homes) once transferred to the non-government sector in...

First Mental Health EBA Stop Work on October 6 - open for details!

We are disgusted to hear reports of healthcare workers being spat at and harassed by protestors in Melbourne’s CBD....

HACSU has been receiving reports about disability Providers using labour-hire workforce in residential settings, when there are staff in their own services available to work...

A new project to provide housing, healthcare, job training, and community to amplify the Victorian Government's Big Social Housing Build.

it's time to establish Victoria as Australia's leader in the mental health and alcohol, other drugs, gambling and harm reduction sector.

HACSU is proud to be a partner of this new initiative with Jobs Victoria to create 600 new jobs disability sector helping people who’ve been impacted by the pandemic and are looking to change careers…

A new survey of mental health workers looking after young Victorians has shown that the COVID-19 crisis has led to unprecedented rates of burnout and fatigue. More inside →

HACSU is today echoing this call, demanding meaningful investment in the mental health workforce.

From 11:59pm on Tuesday 17 August, employers across Melbourne that require their staff to attend a work site must issue a worker permit to their employees.

Media Release 06/08/21

Join your fellow HACSU members at Yooralla to discuss your EBA on August 11!