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Aruma Enterprise Bargaining Committee update

The Aruma Enterprise Bargaining Committee meeting was last held on 19 April 2023. During that meeting, Aruma tabled its Log of Claims. The unions had submitted their logs prior to the meeting.

During the meeting, Aruma discussed flexibility and efficiencies. CPSU NSW advised our members would not agree to any reduction in conditions. The CPSU NSW representatives reaffirmed our intention to try and enshrine the superior conditions from the now expired copied state award.

Aruma is now in the process of undertaking costings to see what might be accommodated in the new Enterprise Agreement.

Aruma’s Log of Claims includes some quite contentious proposals, such as:

• Flexibility provisions across Aruma due to differing employment instruments. CPSU NSW representatives made submissions that this should not be a race to the bottom. Rather, we should leave workplaces in a better state for members and those in the other states should be brought up to a higher standard.
• Adjustment to rostering reviews and changes. CPSU NSW representatives have continued to advocate that whatever procedures are in place often are not consistently applied. We do recognise that changes to rosters are required for a variety of reasons, however, if they are not consistently applied across all sites, then inequities will continue.
• Flattening of career pay scales. The CPSU NSW remains committed to an introduction of an incremental scale that acknowledges your dedication to the residents you support and rewards the skills and knowledge you have gained during your career. We say a decent career path is essential in making Aruma an employer of choice in the disability sector. MSLs, CSMs and CMs in Victoria are excluded from their Enterprise Agreement via common law contracts. The first draft of the Enterprise Agreement includes provisions for individual variation of the agreement’s entitlements. We don’t understand why common law contracts need to exist in Aruma, or any other workplace for that matter. Again, CPSU NSW representatives believe the bargaining process for a NSW Aruma Enterprise Agreement should not be a race to the bottom.
• A reduction in minimum shift starts from three hours to two hours for part-time employees. Members and Delegates have already advised that short-team meetings do not allow for adequate briefings. Further, we raised that in some instances, commutes to work a two-hour shift are not economically viable for our members. CPSU NSW representatives will continue to seek an enhancement to minimum shift length.
• Mandatory qualifications to be introduced across Aruma. The CPSU NSW believes fully funded training and time release for members to gain recognised accreditation will make mobility between providers easier should you choose to work elsewhere.

The CPSU NSW will be holding a virtual member meeting to hear from members. A CPSU NSW members’ meeting will be held via Microsoft Teams on Thursday 4 May 2023 at 4:00pm. This virtual meeting is open to all members.

Log-in details

Click here to join the meeting

Meeting ID: 422 714 969 186
Passcode: 8QWwu9