Hunter Valley Disability Services Myth Busters – January 2018 (PDF version)

Your employment

You are now working for a new employer but your union is still the same.

As you know, everyone who is a member of the PSA is also a member of the CPSU NSW and we are still here to represent you in this new world in which you are working.

Award and rostering principals

Your employment conditions, your award and the rostering principals are the same as they were when you worked for ADHC.

Before you transferred over, the PSA had your award changed to ensure that the rostering principals under which you worked where enshrined in law. They are now part of your award and should operate the same as before.

We refer to Clauses 12-13 in relation to ‘Shifts and rostering’ and the stipulation by Hunter Valley Disability Services (HVDS) that ‘shifts will be displayed on the roster each fortnight’.

This is clearly contrary and in breach of Clauses 4 and 5 of the Award which provide that ‘rosters are to be for a period of 28 calendar days’.

While a lot of things about the way you communicate with your employer may change, your award and the rostering principals remain the same.

We continue to be your union

As stated above, the PSA CPSU NSW is still your union. We have been told that some staff are being told that we are no longer your union. This is incorrect.

We have reached an agreement with the ASU whereby if you work in a Group Home or Respite Centre or doing associated work which was previously part of the public sector we are still your union.

We have agreed that we will not go into workplaces that were previously private and try to recruit members but if you were previously a public servant we remain your union.

Your pay and conditions at the end of 2 years

As part of your transfer, you have been given a 2 year employment guarantee (6 months if you are a casual). Your pay and conditions will stay the same for up to 5 years.

The only way your pay and conditions will change is if you, the CPSU NSW and the employer (HVDS) agree

Should an enterprise agreement be negotiated in the time between the 2 years and the 5 years 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 for you.

Next Workplace Group Meeting

In consultation with the Executive of the Work Place Group (WPG), it has been decided that the meetings for the next 3 months will be on the following dates:

• Tuesday 30 January

• Wednesday 28 February

• Wednesday 28 March

The meetings will be at 4.30pm in the Hunter Room, Level 2, Trades Hall

We hope you can come to one or some of these meetings.

Working with Hunter Valley Disability Services

The executive of the WPG have raised a number of matters that have been concerning members – payroll issues, access to client files, training on the CRM system and many more.

The CPSU NSW has written to HVDS regarding these issues. Along with your delegates, we hope to meet with HVDS shortly to help resolve these matters.

Letters of offer

The permanent part-time employment contract recently provided to transferred employees includes content that is both incorrect and in breach of the ADHC Rostering Principles now enshrined in the Crown Employees Ageing, Disability and Homecare – NSW Department of Family and Community Services (Community Living Award) 2015.

The ‘governing employment conditions’ are as follows:

1. Crown Employees (Public Service Conditions of Employment) Reviewed Award 2009
2. Crown Employees (Administrative and Clerical Officers – Salaries) Award 2007
3. Crown Employees (Public Sector – Salaries 2017) Award
4. Crown Employees Ageing, Disability and Homecare – NSW Department of Family and Community Services (Community Living Award) 2015

Do you know someone who is not a member? Get them to join HERE.