Your enterprise agreement is going out for a vote.

Shortly your employer will be asking all staff to vote on a new enterprise agreement. Your enterprise agreement contains your wages and conditions at work, so it’s really important that everyone understands how the agreement will affect them and has a say in the vote.

The enterprise agreement will only be accepted if a majority of people who cast a vote, vote ‘yes’. Therefore, it’s up to you to decide if this agreement is good enough.

Your HSU Bargaining Committee have negotiated and fought hard in this campaign, and while there are claims that Garden Village have refused, some the wins HSU members have gained are:

• Staff to have regularly rostered hours – being days of the week and start/finish times each day – confirmed in their contract on commencement.
• A Medication Allowance of $2.50 per shift to be paid to PCAs rostered to administer medication.
• 5 days paid Family and Domestic Violence Leave that is in addition to the 10 days provided by the National Employment Standards.
• 16 hours of IVF Treatment Leave to attend the routine medical appointments associated with the treatment.
• Antenatal Leave of up to 8 hours to enable the employee to attend medical appointments or midwifery appointments associated with the pregnancy.
• Increase in Paid Parental Leave entitlements to 12 weeks for the primary carer and 4 weeks for Paid Partner Leave.
• $5 per week to be paid to Community Direct Care employees for using their own phone for work purposes.
• Community Direct Care employees Kilometre Allowance to be paid $1 per kilometre for all travel for work related purposes.
• Transport Subsidy Allowance for Communicate employees to offset extra weak and tear or costs associated with necessary insurance.

Wages

HSU members fought for a 6% per annum wage increase to reflect the value of work Aged Care Workers do every day.

Garden Village did not agree with this claim and instead will offer in 2024 and 2025, at least 0.25% higher than the relevant Modern Award increases set out by the Fair Work Commission Annual Wage Review.

Next Steps

Before voting opens, your employer must share a copy of the proposed agreement with you and provide details on all the proposed changes. Please review this information carefully and if you have any questions, get in contact with the HSU. The union will also be sending out further information about the proposal next week, to help members understand what is on offer.

The new agreement can only be accepted if a majority of staff who vote, vote ‘yes’. If you don’t like what is being offered and would like to keep negotiating, we encourage you to vote ‘no’.

If you have any questions about your proposed enterprise agreement, please contact the HSU for assistance.