In this update:
On Thursday 28 March 2019, your delegates and industrial staff from the CPSU NSW met with Hunter Valley Disability Services (‘HVDS’) to discuss collective member issues at the Joint Consultative Committee (‘JCC’) meeting which was held at Warabrook.
The JCC is an ongoing consultative committee where CPSU NSW industrial staff and delegates are able to consult with management on workplace matters of mutual interest in accordance with very clearly defined principles in your copied State Awards.
CPSU NSW representatives and delegates: Dean Allen, CPSU NSW Industrial Officer (by teleconference), Rachel Smoothy, Kate McGrath and Gavin Dimery (CPSU NSW delegates).
Management representatives: Luke Hughes (HVDS Governance and Transition Manager), Brenda Gledhill (Manager A&R) Julie Melehan (Manager A&R), Karen Ansen (PerformHR) and Sarah Ongley (HVDS Project Coordinator).
Issues discussed included in part:
The CPSU has secured a commitment from HVDS to provide First Aid training for frontline staff during work time. Training sessions will be held periodically throughout the year.
CPSU has received member concerns about the reliability of the Tickit system and therefore raised those issues at the JCC. HVDS provided an overview surrounding the actions that HVDS has recently undertaken to remedy recent problems with responding to Tickit enquiries. It is important that you continue to provide us with any issues with the reporting system. This will enable us to raise these with HVDS to ensure that you continue to be able to meet all reporting obligations as well have having access to the system that allows you to raise concerns or log requests for system improvements.
The CPSU NSW previously raised member concerns at the JCC meeting held on 13 December 2018 regarding your rights to request Health and Safety Representatives (HSR) in the workplace in accordance with section 50 of the Work Health and Safety Act 2011.
CPSU NSW is working with HVDS to form a Health and Safety Committee. The CPSU NSW will be asking members to nominate for HSR positions and no previous experience or training is necessary. All interested members are encouraged to nominate. If there are more nominees than positions an election will be held in order to fill the positions.
Members are advised that the CPSU NSW runs a 5-day training course for members to become an accredited HSR.
The next JCC meeting for HVDS is scheduled for Thursday 9 May 2019. If you wish to have any collective industrial issues raised by the CPSU NSW, please forward details to your delegate or by writing to
Further information:
CPSU NSW would like to confirm that in addition to the two-year employment guarantee, staff will continue to be employed under the copied state instruments until such time as a new Enterprise Agreement between employees and HVDS is negotiated or for a period of up to five years ending on 1 December 2022
Your conditions of employment are guaranteed for two years and up to five years in accordance with the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NSW Enabling) Act 2013 and anything otherwise would constitute a breach of that legislation and the contractual obligations of the HVDS consortium entered into with the NSW State Government. Should that arise the CPSU NSW will pursue legal options.
Should an enterprise agreement be negotiated at some stage up to December 2022, you will have the opportunity to vote on whether you agree with what is proposed. If you are a union member, the CPSU NSW will work with you and negotiate with you.
The CPSU NSW has previously reported to members on the failure of HVDS to consult in relation to a dozen employment policies and procedures. This led to the union serving a dispute notification and filing a dispute with the Fair Work Commission. The CPSU NSW has recently discontinued those proceedings as we will shortly be commencing further legal action against HVDS. Further updates will be provided in the near future.
On 6 February 2019 your Workplace Group held its Annual General Meeting, the following positions were filled – Chair – R Smoothy; Vice Chair – K McGrath; Secretary – E Turpin; Vice Secretary – G Dimery; Women’s Officer – S Bathgate; delegates, E Adams, D Holt, and N Howlett. Congratulations to all of our elected CPSU NSW delegates.
CPSU staff and delegates are all working behind the scenes to ensure that your working conditions are being upheld and maintained.
You can support the work of the CPSU NSW by asking your colleagues to JOIN their union.
Having your union and its collective strength behind you in the workplace is the only way to make sure you get fair outcomes.
