More than 160 health professionals attended a recent round of meetings in over 25 Community Health Centres (CHC) to discuss the current Enterprise Agreement campaign.

One of the key issues raised by members was the desire to have their pay and conditions improve so that health professionals stay in the community and public health sectors and the ‘drift to private practice’ can stopped. Members are seeking an Agreement across all community health centres. They aim to achieve better pay and conditions than what the public sector achieved, particularly with regard to clauses that deal with consultation, dispute resolution, professional development funds and back pay for all who have been employed in Community Health over the past two years. Other issues raised by members include the need for a better career structure, assistance with education and training, more flexible leave options and better conditions for part time workers.

Delegate elections are underway

The next important step is for each Community Health Centre to elect their union Delegates. Ideally there should be more than one Delegate for each Community Health Centre so as to spread the workload and ensure maximum representation across disciplines and any multiple sites. Delegates act as a first port of call for members with workplace concerns or issues that need to be fed into the EA campaign. Where Delegates cannot deal with the issue independently they refer members to the designated Union Organiser.

Voting for the Delegate elections opened Tuesday 21 May and will close Thursday 23 May COB. Following the election of your new union delegates, a mass delegates meeting will be held 6pm Tuesday 28 May to finalise our log of claims so we can start formal bargaining for your new Enterprise Agreement.

If you have any questions or feedback regarding the Enterprise Agreement – or anything else work-related for that matter – please don’t hesitate to call us on 9341 3348 or via email chc@hsuhp.asn.au.

Community health campaign sites

Ballarat Community Health Centre —  Cooinda, Sebastopol, Smythesdale
Banyule Community Health Service
Bass Coast Community Health Service
Bellarine Community Health
Bendigo Community Health Services – Eaglehawk, Kangaroo Flat
Bentleigh Bayside Community Health Services
Castlemaine District Community Health Centre (CHIRP)
Central Bayside Community Health Services
Cobaw Community Health Services –Woodend, Kyneton
Darebin Community Health Service – Panch Health Service
Dianella Community Health – Broadmeadows, Craigieburn, Meadow Heights, East Reservoir, Northcote
Doutta Galla Community Health Service – Kensington, Moonee Ponds, Niddrie, North Melbourne
Eastern Access Community Health (EACH) – Healesville, Lilydale, Ringwood Paterson St
Gateway Community Health (formerly Upper Hume Community Health Service)
Gippsland Lakes Community Health
Grampians Community Health Centre
Inner East Community Health Service – Ashburton, Richmond, Hawthorn, Sir Eric Pearce House
Inner South Community Health Service – Prahran, Mitford St St Kilda, Inkerman St St Kilda, Southport
Isis Primary Care – St Albans, Deer Park, Sunshine, Watergardens, Hobsons Bay, Wyndham
Knox Community Health Service
Latrobe Community Health Service – Morwell, Traralgon, Bairnsdale, Churchill, Korumburra, Moe, Sale, Warragul
Manningham Community Health Service
Merri Community Health Services – Brunswick, Coburg, Fawkner
Mitchell Community Health Service
MonashLink Community Health Service – Hughesdale, Clayton, Chadstone, Waverley
Nillumbik Community Health Service
North Richmond Community Health Centre
North Yarra Community Health – Innerspace, Carlton, Collingwood, Fitzroy
Northern District Community Health Service
Nowa Nowa Community Health
Ovens and King Community Health Service
Plenty Valley Community Health Services
Primary Care Connect (formerly Goulburn Valley Community Health Service)
Ranges Community Health Service (INSPIRO)
Sunbury Community Health Centre
Sunraysia Community Health Services
Western Region Health Centre — Footscray, Braybrook, Melton, Sunbury
Whitehorse Community Health Service