The VHPA has given in-prinicpal support to a new Enterprise Agreement for Therapists employed at Yooralla following a year and a half of strenuous negotiations.
Following a successful ballot, members employed at Yooralla will receive:
- Backdated pay increases of 2% in 2012, 2% in 2013 and wages increases of 3% in 2014 and 3% 2015.
- A new Grade 2 Year 5 increment of $20.25 per week
- A new Grade 3 Year 5 increment of $20.25 per week
- Improved maternity leave entitlements
- Enshrined entitlement to $600 professional development money in 2014, and $500 per annum after that
- Improved redundancy and relocation clauses
- ADO’s for school based Therapists
- No trade off of Easter Saturday entitlements
“This has been a long and difficult campaign for members and particularly delegates, many of whom had been at the bargaining table with Yooralla for several years before the new Union leadership took over.” said Yooralla Organiser Emma Brelsford.
“We were negotiating with an organisation going through significant internal turmoil, which left us negotiating with several different high-level management throughout the campaign which made things even more difficult”
However when Yooralla Therapists overwhelmingly voted down an inferior offer earlier this year and proceeded to take protected industrial action; management started to take them seriously.
“Within 3 weeks of taking industrial action; members had the new offer of a Grade 2 Year 5 increment and a Grade 3 Year 5 increment on the table. This was a great outcome for the membership”
The only other change in the Agreement effects sick leave. Staff can take 5 days sick leave per year without any documentary evidence. In addition sick leave can be accessed on three occasions per year (up to 5 days each) with a statutory declaration.
Congratulations to all the Yooralla Therapists who joined the VHPA throughout this campaign and fought for a good EBA. Your pay and conditions and future at Yooralla are now better for it.
Yooralla members at the AGM stop work in November