From the Secretary

SNP Bargaining- leave, leave and more leave!

Your HSU Bargaining Team continued to press for better conditions at the negotiation meeting held yesterday.

Tabled for discussion was SNP’s proposed changes concerning leave and public holidays.

SNP’s proposed EBA would see:

  1. Removal of the additional 3 weeks of long service leave entitlement currently available to employees;
  2. Removal of the ability to cash out excess sick leave;
  3. Removal of early access to long service leave provisions;
  4. Removal of public holiday penalties on the calculation of annual leave accrual;
  5. Removal of special maternity leave provisions; and
  6. Removal of the four hour minimum call for working public holidays. 

The HSU’s position is (and always will be) there should be no reduction in conditions.

In addition to opposing these attempts to reduce your leave conditions, your Bargaining Team advocated for:

  1. 14 weeks paid parental leave and 6 weeks partners leave.
  2. Reinstatement of the paid special maternity leave provision.
  3. Paid infectious diseases leave (2 weeks per occasion, or when required to self-isolate) and 1 day’s vaccination leave.
  4. 10 Days of paid domestic violence leave per year.
  5. Increased carer’s leave (5 paid days per year); and
  6. Mental Health Leave (5 days per year). 

The HSU also argued for removal of conditions in the EBA which require you to provide onerous information to management when taking sick or carer’s leave (like the illness/injury and who you’re caring for and their relationship to you). We also raised the ongoing difficulties members have with having leave approved by management.

The next bargaining meeting is on 16 February 2022, where public holidays, rostering, hours of work, and professional development conditions will be discussed.

The HSU is hosting a pre-bargaining Zoom on Monday 14 February 2022 with all members invited to attend.

Our strength in bargaining comes from our strength in the workplace. If you know someone who isn’t an HSU member, let them know what your HSU Bargaining Team is fighting for and invite them to join us. New members can join at www.hsu.asn.au or by calling 1300 478 679.

In unity,

Gerard Hayes

Secretary, HSU NSW/ACT/QLD

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