On Monday this week Goodwin Aged Care Services announced its plans to close Ralph Cartwright Centre after 30 years of operating. In meetings that took place yesterday and today, management explained that the building required a lot of work for compliance reasons, work that couldn’t be done while RCC continued to function. Management also has outlined its intention to retain all RCC employees at either George Sautelle House or at other Goodwin facilities.

What does this mean for you and your colleagues?

Management will now meet with employees to talk over your options with transferring to another site. These discussions will commence shortly, though management has indicated that the closure won’t commence until mid-January next year.

In transferring to another facility Goodwin has an obligation to maintain your contracted hours and to offer you a role within your skills set. If Goodwin is unable to maintain these, further consultation needs to take place about any potential change to your contract or role.

If you regularly work above your contracted hours, now is the time to have a conversation with management to confirm these before transferring.

Despite the commitments from Goodwin to retain all RCC employees, I know that this can be a challenging and worrying time. The HSU is here for members. HSU Organiser Anu Mahimkar will be on site over the coming weeks to answer any questions you have.

In the meantime, if you have any concerns, please contact the HSU Member Services Division on 1300 478 679. If you know someone who isn’t a member, they can join at www.hsu.asn.au/join.