Dear Member,

HSU members have been busy taking up the fight for health workers in the ACT.

Here’s a brief wrap up of what they’ve been up to!

Massive Win for TCH Wardies

For over a year, HSU Wardspersons at Canberra Hospital have been pushing for radios for all workers on shift for security and safety reasons. Long ago, they got sick of hearing “the radios are coming” from management.

Members came together and collectively decided to refuse to head out to the ward until they were issued radios. Other hospital workers stood alongside HSU members in a show of solidarity and by noon, management had found radios for ALL staff on shift!

This shows us what is possible when workers stand together!

Sterilising Services

Sterilising delegates have stood up time and again for HSU members and recently put CHS into a dispute process to try and resolve issues around requiring unnecessary medical certificates. HSU members are also pushing back on what they believe to be anti-union activity in the workplace.

Radiation Therapists

Radiation Therapists at TCH are organising to address an Australia-wide shortages in their profession and looking at how we can improve this into the future.

It is very early days, but members are hoping CHS will see the value of their work and take action to protect ACT Radiation Therapists from staff shortages.

Expansion of Phlebotomy 

CHS made a significant change to the Phlebotomy service over the past few months, moving workers to a seven-day service.

This was not a popular change with workers, but CHS continued to work with HSU members throughout the process. 

Community Language Allowance 

Allied Health members are trying to get the Community Language Allowance implemented as per their EA. This allowance is important in recognising the language skills often called upon from our health workers.

TCH Food Services 

Food Services, it’s time to have your say! How can we work together to improve your workplace?

If you are in Food Services at TCH, please give your HSU organiser a call on 0488 133 953 or email him on [E-Mail not displayed].

EBA on the horizon

Although it hasn’t been long since the last one, it’s time to start thinking about the next enterprise agreement.

For example, an improvement you might like to see is making sure you get penalty rates when on personal leave. Not getting penalties may force workers to come to work when they are not well. With COVID, RSV and other infectious diseases we know what coming to work ill can cause.

Members have about 17 months to get motivated and ready to stand together to demand similar conditions as some of our colleagues. Only by standing and voting together will we win such substantive changes.

Do you know someone who isn’t an HSU member? Encourage them to join our Union today and have a say at work. We are always stronger when we stand together. 

New members can join at www.hsu.asn.au/join or call 1300 478 679.