Workplace issues under scrutiny

Your union membership provides you with industrial representation all year round, not just when Enterprise Agreements are being negotiated. There are twelve employers (that cover up to 100 different workplaces!) where our members have been dissatisfied with management and the union’s Organisers are helping out. Some of the issues currently being addressed include:

• Payment problems including underpayments, public holidays, penalty rates, higher duties and salary sacrifice
• Workload, RDOs and overtime
• Pay and conditions for part time staff
• Privatisation, reclassification and restructuring concerns
• Forced annual leave, roster changes
• Access to professional development, unpaid training and other issues such as drug testing

** Annual Leave pressure for the public sector **

Health professionals in the public sector are facing pressure to use up their Annual Leave. The VHIA has targeted Annual Leave liability as part of a strategy to deal with budget cuts in the sector. Some agencies are applying pressure to staff who have more than 200 hours accrued Annual Leave. Our EA allows staff to accrue up to 304 hours before they can request members to start using up the leave. While the union encourages staff to take leave to ensure a good work-life balance, please note that you cannot be requested to take leave under 304 hours.

For advice and information on a workplace issue, please contact the union on ph 03 9341 3390 or info@hsuhp.asn.au