Following a five-month delay, the CPSU NSW met with Aruma and the other bargaining representatives on 30 April 2025 for the first time since November 2024.
During this time, CPSU NSW made many approaches to Aruma seeking to recommence bargaining and enquiring why bargaining had stalled. To date, no substantial explanation on why your employer had disappeared from the bargaining table for five months was provided.
At this meeting, Aruma sought to discuss a draft Enterprise Agreement, version 7, with bargaining representatives. Some bargaining representatives had been unable to consider draft version 7 as it was supplied just prior to the Easter holidays, and they had just returned from leave.
Regardless, as discussions progressed it was very clear that Draft 7 contained substantial changes from agreed text that had been worked on prior to the 2024/2025 Christmas/New Year break. Further, critical information (such as proposed wages) was missing from the draft.
The CPSU NSW raised strong objections that it appeared Aruma had unilaterally determined to go back to stage one of bargaining and setting aside two years of bargaining. At face value, the new draft seems to have taken five months for Aruma to work on behind the scenes and without any consultation.
Additionally, along with several new faces, there seemed to be a loss of continuity with some Aruma management bargaining representatives being absent from the bargaining table.
Aruma cries poor when it comes to improving your wages and conditions, yet there is no pain for their highly paid senior executives.
Issues your union thought were long resolved (for example minimum three-hour shifts), apparently are now (and without any prior notice), being proposed to be reduced to the bare minimums of the SCHaDS Award.
Bargaining reps had been asking for a better share of the sleep over funding that currently earns Aruma approximately $270 each night, while earning L2.4 staff only $120 a night. It appears Aruma intend to discount the sleepover payment to staff even further, by dropping to the SCHaDS Award. This could effectively halve the existing financial compensation for sleep overs to staff.
The new draft seeks to grandparent several provisions for existing staff, while proposing that future staff will revert to the bare basics of the SCHaDS Award when commencing work. How Aruma expect to entice future staff while retaining existing employees with this proposed enterprise agreement is an unknown.
As part of this new proposal, Aruma seek to reduce some allowances over time. What this would mean is not only have you been on a pay freeze for years, but it also looks like those allowances which are higher than the SCHaDS Award are now to be slashed.
Those at the top continue to be well remunerated while their roles are simplified – yet you’re expected to do more, for less!
Recently, MSLs have had their roles and responsibilities increased with additional sites and all the complexity associated with managing three sets of rosters. Additional duties which used to be handled by Aruma Shared Services include:
The above duties have now been devolved to MSLs.
Conversely, some senior executives have had their roles and responsibilities halved and additional recruitment at their level.
As hours are chopped with roster reviews occurring almost daily, resulting in DSWs losing income, those at the top continue to make bank.
How this can be justified when the leadership team has seen Aruma face drastic budget deficits and an exodus of NDIS participants simply beggars’ belief.
Between now and the next bargaining meeting (14 May 2025) Aruma has undertaken to review Draft 7 by re-incorporating provisions already agreed by the drafting sub-committee. Where Aruma has changed its position from November 2024, clear and detailed information on why its position has changed will be given to all bargaining representatives.
Members will be provided with another enterprise bargaining update after the bargaining meeting on 14 May 2025.
