Recently, members at Tamworth Linen Service contacted the HSU to raise concerns about an ongoing backlog of work, affecting both production staff and drivers.

Your HSU Organiser visited the site to find over 70 trollies of dirty linen lined up outside, waiting to be processed. The HSU contacted senior management to escalate this matter and requested that drivers should be rostered back on to day shifts in accordance with their contracts.

HealthShare provided the below responses:  

• Delay with new Pass through Commercial Dryers and equipment being installed.  
• With a combination of excess stock on site and a slower than normal commissioning process placed this site well behind in production volume
• Vacant positions awaiting recruitment
• Tamworth site will be working a full overtime shift (voluntary) this Saturday – which will further address the remainder of the backlog
• Arranged and removed considerable linen off site for processing at our Newcastle, Parramatta and Orange Linen Services
• With the support work already provided and along with the upcoming Saturday production, we believe this will alleviate our production concerns and place back the delivery schedules as they were prior to these issues.

Drivers were contacted and returned to day shift start times earlier in the week. However, toward the end of the week, the Union was once again contacted by members advising that due to a shortage of staff and the remaining backlog for processing, drivers are once again having their rosters changed to afternoon start times. The HSU is aware that HealthShare are looking at ways to cover the staff shortages while they recruit to vacancies, but we believe that temporary adjustments must be made in the meantime.

Due to this situation, the HSU has written to management this week to formally notify HealthShare that we are now in dispute as per Clause 26 of the Health Employees Conditions of Employment (State) Award. A dispute committee will be convened to discuss the current situation.

Your HSU Organiser will visit Tamworth next Tuesday 1 June 2021. If you would like to provide any comments or feedback, please email your Organiser at [E-Mail not displayed].