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Australian Unity member update

Australian Unity member update – October 2017 (PDF version)

JCC meeting held on 9 October 2017

On Monday 9 October 2017 the Australian Unity Joint Consultative Committee meeting was held at PSA House.

Attendees

PSA/CPSU representatives and delegates: Dean Allen (PSA Industrial Officer), Siobhan Callinan (PSA Senior Organiser), Tania Shipman, Jyotsna Chaudhary, Loretta Wilson.

Management representatives: Cameron Holland, Executive General Manager – Home & Disability Services and Michael Robinson, Group Manager Workplace Relations.

Summary of matters discussed

Customer Care Hub decentralisation (‘CCH’)

The CPSU NSW/PSA raised member concerns in relation to increased workload impacts for administrative staff who undertake the client allocations function. Members have reported increased workload due to the restructure/decentralisation of the Customer Care Hub back to the regional branches.

Feedback from members included increased stress arising from inconsistent directions to branch staff across state-wide locations including under-resourcing, directions to cover weekend shifts, lack of guidance and training (for example in relation to the Procura software), forfeited flex time, alarming accounts of staff being told to accept the change or leave, and fears for job security.

The CPSU NSW/PSA highlighted that workload and the psychological impacts were also key findings of the recent CPSU NSW/PSA workplace survey.

Australian Unity (AU) management:

• acknowledged the pressure of workloads and paid credit to the skills and abilities of the administrative staff including that Community Engagement Team is a very skilled team that will be utilised by AU as more than ‘just intake’

• said that the administrative staff are certainly needed after February 2018

• acknowledged the need to speak to service coordinators, administrative assistants and Community Engagement Team staff on a more regular basis to ascertain and to address staff concerns

• advised that they are reviewing workloads and clarified that there is no hiring freeze including that if staff have resigned that they can be replaced

• will consider hiring additional support where needed as a long as a result can be provided

• will ensure that the Cutover 4 staff will be paid for lost flex time

• AU is currently working on the Branch Operating Model based on feedback provided by administrative staff

• ‘out of hours’ work is to be managed at a branch level.

The PSA/CPSU recommends members raise any ongoing concerns arising from the CCH decentralisation with your regional managers and notify the CPSU NSW/PSA or your delegates if any of the above issues remain unresolved. In some instances it may be necessary to consider lodging work health safety incident reports.

Enterprise bargaining

AU has requested that the CPSU NSW/PSA enter into negotiations for an enterprise agreement (EA) prior to February 2018 and has provided a draft document which is currently being reviewed. However, your union indicated it may currently be premature to enter into negotiations in light of the above issues arising from the CCH decentralisation and restructure.

The CPSU NSW/PSA will release separate bulletins in relation to EA negotiations in the near future and we will survey members’ views before commencing negotiations. Members are reminded your industrial conditions remain in force in accordance with your existing entitlements pursuant to the Crown Employees (Home Care Service of New South Wales – Administrative Staff) Award 2012 and will do so until replaced by an enterprise agreement.

Next JCC meeting

AU will schedule a further JCC meeting towards the end of October 2017.

We will continue to be your union and to fight for your rights and entitlements. Now, more than ever, it is important to make sure all staff in your branch are members of the CPSU NSW/PSA.

Community Engagement Team (‘CET’)

As a result of discussions at the JCC, AU management subsequently met with the Community Engagement Team (CET) and provided clarity to their future roles. It was acknowledged that the CET were a highly skilled team and that AU will need this team into the future.

It was confirmed that the CET will continue their current roles with some added tasks operating from branches, continuing to support the branches post audit.

AU confirmed that CET staff will be kept well informed going forward.

Your CPSU delegates are:

Tania Shipman

Jyotsna Chaudhary

Loretta Wilson

Grisel Galiano

Susan Workum

Robyn Pearse

Sue Kiernan

Your PSA/CPSU NSW staff are:

Dean Allen – Industrial Officer

Siobhan Callinan – Senior Organiser

Contact us at:

Encourage your colleagues to join the PSA online at www.psa.asn.au, or see your delegates for membership forms.