The PSA assisted temporary Home Care employees secure ongoing employment as they move to the private sector.

On 20 March 2015, the PSA wrote to Department of Family & Community Services (FACS) Secretary, Michael Coutts- Trotter, about temporary-staff arrangements.

Timeline: how a meeting became a win for member power

This is an example of how the process worked for a small group in the Referral and Access Centre (RAC) at Parramatta Home Care.

3 August 2015
At a members’ meeting, the main topic of conversion is the transfer of Home Care to the private sector. Members were concerned about temporary staff, who were non-members and had not been converted to ongoing employment.

3 August 2015
The delegate went back to the non-members to ask them to come to a meeting with the PSA to inform them about the conversion of ongoing employment.

4 August 2015
A meeting was held with five non-members, with other members in attendance to support the PSA. The meeting discussed what the PSA was doing to convert members into ongoing employment.

4 August 2015
After the meeting, an email was received from the delegate with five new member application forms.

7 August 2015
New members receive a copy of the letter to send to management about converting temporary positions to ongoing employment.

13 August 2015
New members in Home Care Service of NSW receive information about their transfer employment conditions.

17 August 2015
The delegate informs the PSA there is still no response from management in regards to conversion to ongoing employment.

19 August 2015
Home Care DC passed a motion for the PSA to officially write to Home Care in regards to the conversion.

24 August 2015
Home Care still had not sent the letters to our temporary members, despite his promises at a meeting with the Home Care members earlier in the week where he stated that they would be converted.

26 August 2015
Delegate advises still no email from management.

7 September 2015
After five working days, there is still no answer.

9 September 2015
Delegate contacts PSA to inform that five of the members have received an email stating the conversion to ongoing employment is approved and a formal letter will be sent shortly.

11 September 2015
All members receive their official letters of conversion to ongoing employment.