As many members are aware, the ASU has been requesting that BCYF management address the serious bullying and harassment culture at the Malop Street worksite for some time now.

Since negotiations were taking place for a new enterprise agreement last year it was conveyed to BCYF that there were bullying and harassment issues present at Malop Street.

This claim has been substantiated by ASU after several after-hours meetings with members to discuss the issues. The ASU is highly concerned that our members are at grave risk of workplace injury. We know that some members have already left the organisation or made WorkCover claims and we have been telling BCYF for some time that many who are still there are subjected to bullying and harassment behaviour. The ASU believes members’ claims have validity, and that BCYF has enough information to act. WorkSafe guidance on responding to bullying notes that feedback can come from many sources, and does not require formal individual complaints. Members have been very clear that they are terrified of coming forward with formal complaints due to a belief that there will be retribution. And this has been conveyed to BCYF by the union as a barrier.

Whilst BYCF has invited ASU delegates to meet with management to discuss the issues, they have made it clear that they have no intention of investigating unless they receive formal individual complaints with evidence of the bullying and harassment.

ASU has requested on 3 occasions that BCYF engage an external investigator, with the investigator being agreed to, by both ASU and BCYF, to carry out an impartial investigation at Malop St. On each occasion this has been refused. The only offering BCYF have provided is to undertake training in above the line, below the line behaviours and to carry out surveys. ASU supports training however have been clear that with recent events this is not sufficient to address your concerns.

BCYF’s refusal to engage in appropriate measures to address the seriousness of the concerns has left ASU no alternative but to consider escalating this issue. We have urged BCYF to reconsider their position and work with ASU to immediately start the process of engaging in an agreed investigator.

All members are entitled to a safe workplace and are encouraged to work with the ASU to end this culture of bullying and harassment.

Members are requested to confidentially contact their Organiser, Joanne McEvoy, on the below contact details if they have been a victim of or witnessed these behaviours in the workplace. Your information will remain strictly confidential however will assist in building a bigger picture of how far spread this issue is.

Should any member be currently feeling unsafe at work we urge you to immediately call the member contact centre on 1300 855 570 for advice.

By increasing our numbers and strength we can and will continue to fight to improve your working lives. Pass this on to a non-member and ask them to join ASU today by visiting: https://www.asu.asn.au/asujoin

For further information please contact:
ASU Organiser Joanne McEvoy | 0437 035 721 | jmcevoy@asuvictas.com.au

The post BCYF – Bullying at Malop Street appeared first on ASU Victoria & Tasmania.

Jane values the important role the ASU plays beyond individual workplaces – delivering big changes that improve working people’s lives and the lives of the most vulnerable in our communities.

Jane was inspired to step up as an ASU delegate at Intouch by her colleague and long-term ASU delegate, Naime Cevik. Jane was new to the family violence sector and hadn’t been a union member.

Through Naime’s advocacy and education in the workplace, Jane understood there were workplace and sector conditions that were under threat and needed to stay.

Jane says her delegate experience was much better than she imagined and union office and co-delegate support was there for her every step of the way.

Through participation in enterprise agreement bargaining and consultation around major workplace changes Jane learned technical skills.

She saw how to transfer her existing advocacy skills to strongly advocate for the rights of herself and other ASU members.

Jane has recently moved into a new senior role within the sector and is already being approached about mentoring others who want to become more active in the union.

While Jane says she would absolutely become an ASU delegate again, she thinks it might be time for her to continue to build union power through mentoring others as delegates.

The ASU thanks Jane and Naime for their contribution to building workplace power!

The post Delegate Profile – Jane Ferris former delegate at Intouch appeared first on ASU Victoria & Tasmania.

The ASU and AWU will be holding joint paid-time meetings to provide an update on where we are at with bargaining for your enterprise agreement and the next steps.

Please ensure you attend these important meetings to have your input:

DATE: Tuesday 3 March
TIME: 7.15am
LOCATION: Clearys Gates, Amenities Room

DATE: Tuesday 3 March
TIME: 8.30am
LOCATION: Argyle Street Carpark, Crib Room

DATE: Tuesday 3 March
TIME: 10.30am
LOCATION: Elizabeth Street Conference Room, Indoor staff

DATE: Tuesday 3 March
TIME: 11.45am
LOCATION: Turf Maintenance Crew, North Hobart Oval

DATE: Tuesday 3 March
TIME: 2.00pm
LOCATION: Clearys Gates,  Environmental/Cleansing

DATE: Tuesday 3 March
TIME: 3.30pm
LOCATION: Mountain Park Depot

For further information please contact:
ASU Organiser Karen Tantari | 0472 512 484
AWU Organiser Kevin Midson | 0408 976 466

The post Hobart City Council – Enterprise Agreement Report Back Meetings appeared first on ASU Victoria & Tasmania.

Steve Vass recently began working in the Community Services sector for the first time. He came from a different sector where he was dedicated to union matters and ensuring workers had rights.

On joining his current organisation, Anchor, Steve found that they had not had a delegate for a number of years and had few union members.

Steve contacted the ASU office and initiated a process to run a delegate election and start building the ASU at his workplace.

He believes it is imperative all workers are well aware of their relevant union – the union who supports their sector, rights and fights for issues that will directly impact them.

Steve strongly believes that if he can be a link for members to the ASU that that is the least he can do saying “after all, we should all be well aware of the matters that impact not only our working lives but also our families”.

Steve is really looking forward to working with ASU, its members and within his organisation.

Steve’s message to everyone is “here’s to standing in unity and fighting for our current Save Equal Pay campaign!”

The post Delegate Profile – Steve Vass appeared first on ASU Victoria & Tasmania.

Save Equal Pay!
The jobs of community sector workers, and services that workers deliver to at-risk and vulnerable members of the community are under threat. And it’s time for us to get angry and loud!

What’s Happening
The Morrison Coalition Government is writing funding agreements for Commonwealth funded programs that do not include funding for the Equal Pay component of social and community services sector workers’ salaries beyond December 2020. The legal minimum rates won’t change, so this means a massive funding shortfall. If not fixed, we will see agencies close, workers sacked and clients left without the support they need. Here’s the recent response sent to the ASU by the Department of Social Services.

The History
The ‘equal pay’ component of your pay (that’s the pay rise to minimum rates in each December) came about because of a successful campaign by ASU members like you. Check out the history here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JzdwMS_9hQs

The ASU went to the Fair Work Commission (FWC) as part of the campaign. FWC agreed that the vast majority of workers in our industry are women; the nature of the “care work” has traditionally been undervalued as it has been viewed as “women’s work”; and our sector wages needed to be lifted to recognise this. They agreed our wages should be on par with similar public sector jobs.

We know that the work done by ASU members is valuable, but pay rates have not historically represented this. The outcome of the ASU Equal Pay case goes to addressing this and contributing to closing the national gender pay gap.

FWC made an Equal Remuneration Order (ERO) to deliver 9 additional wage increases over 8 years to the SCHCaDS Award, to be paid annually in December.

December 2020 is the last instalment of the ERO and will see the overall phased in pay increases hit between 23% (Level 2 workers) up to 45% (Level 8 workers).

It makes a huge difference to the pay of all workers in the sector. Members are sharing their stories now on ASU Facebook – keep in touch there to see why Equal Pay is important to your sector colleagues. https://www.facebook.com/ASUVicTas/

The Problem Now
Funding agreements are being given to service providers that do not include funding for the ERO component of social and community services sector workers’ salaries beyond December 2020. The Morrison Coalition Government is failing to assure the sector, workers and the community of any commitment.

This will be a huge reduction in funding to deliver essential social and community services.

When these cuts come in, employers in the sector will still be required to pay rate the full award rate, including the ERO component.

This will lead to a massive shortfall that will see workers sacked and clients left without the support they need.

If the Morrison Government does not reverse this decision, it will force many agencies to close.

ASU Members are Fighting Back
ASU community sector members have formed a Save Equal Pay campaign committee to plan the campaign to fight back against this shocking decision by the Morrison Government.

Please come along to the next committee meeting and bring a fellow member with you.

Details

DATE: Wednesday 4 March
TIME: 6.00pm
VENUE: ASU Office, 116 Queensberry Street, Carlton South

RSVP for this meeting here

If you would like to organise a meeting at your workplace please contact the ASU at info@asuvictas.com.au or on 1300 855 570.  You can also encourage your colleagues to join the ASU at www.asu.asn.au/asujoin

Employers are Signing On
The ASU has written to employers seeking their support to protect the sector and save services and jobs. We’ve asked them to sign a statement of support, and pledges have started to roll through. Stay in touch via  www.facebook.com/ASUVicTas/ to keep updated, on contact the ASU office to get a hand about approaching your employer.

We’re all in this together, for a stronger, more sustainable sector – and we will win again!

The post Save Equal Pay appeared first on ASU Victoria & Tasmania.

Tuffy has worked as a casual at the City of Melbourne for nearly 6 years and is an ASU delegate in the Arts and Culture area.

Having been involved in collective organising as a student, Tuffy became acutely aware very early on of the need to bring people together to be able to negotiate with power.

So being part of the union has always been important for Tuffy on an ideological level, and on a practical level.

Tuffy was elected as a delegate by their co-workers so that they could better advocate for casuals at the City of Melbourne as well as represent the Arts & Culture team more generally

As the biggest group of casuals at the City Of Melbourne, the team has worked toward recognition within the organisation of the issues faced by casuals as well as changing practical details relating to the enterprise agreement.

The areas focused on include better communication and collaboration, standardised training and up skilling for all casual staff, better acknowledgment of skills as working artists, equality of access to shifts, minimum hours, and permanency.

Through being a delegate Tuffy has become more confident in defending and negotiating working conditions, learnt a huge amount about industrial law, the back end of local government, and what rights casuals have and don’t have.

Even though it can be hard work being a delegate as a casual, Tuffy has found it a rewarding experience.

If you are casually employed, or know of areas in your workplaces with high use of casual workers, or any other form of insecure employment let your ASU organiser know or contact the ASU Member contact Centre on 1300 855 570.

We are better able to fight for secure work across local government when we hear stories like Tuffy’s

The post Delegate Profile – Tuffy appeared first on ASU Victoria & Tasmania.

Your ASU delegate and organiser met with Wathaurong management last week as part of ongoing consultation regarding the restructure.

Issues discussed were centred on operational issues and were:

• Operational manuals are being developed to bring Wathaurong in line with accreditation requirements. These will be discussed with staff at the in-service meetings being held between 3-5 March. Assurance was given to the ASU that all staff will have time to become familiar with them.
• There was commitment that once the review into Position Descriptions commences ASU and members will be consulted fully throughout the process.
• The ongoing issue regarding the wearing of compulsory uniforms was also discussed. It was determined that should the supplied uniform top be unsuitable, members are able to purchase their own top (at their own cost and subject to being the correct colour etc.) and Wathaurong will have the logo placed on the top at their expense. This should alleviate OHS issues regarding materials used etc.
• With regards to the compulsory diploma course, Wathaurong advised that this is an expectation by the state government as part of the Aboriginal Workforce Development Agency funding. They have advised that a tutor is in place to assist members where needed. Workload issues were raised by the ASU and management advised that where there was an issue of workloads becoming unreasonable members are to speak to the supervisor who will assist in alleviating the issue.
• It is the ASU’s understanding that the laptop contracts have been amended but as yet they have not provided an updated copy to ASU.

Management has stated that no restructure committee member has received feedback from employees and ASU encourage members to use this format. However, as members, you have a right to provide feedback to the ASU via your delegate or direct to your organiser.

Wathaurong has committed to ongoing consultation with the ASU and it was agreed that quarterly meetings would occur with the next meeting to be held in early April.

Members are to be congratulated in your involvement in the consultation process and are encouraged to continue to provide feedback.

If you know of anyone who is not yet a member speak to them now and encourage them to join you to ensure that we have the strength to ensure consultation continues throughout any changes.

Joining is quick and easy and can be done online here

For further information please contact:
ASU Organiser Joanne McEvoy | 0437 035 721 | jmcevoy@asuvictas.com.au

The post Wathaurong – Ongoing Consultation Regarding Restructure appeared first on ASU Victoria & Tasmania.

There’s a crisis on the frontline of local government. Years of underfunding by state sand federal governments, together with cost-shifting and rate capping, are having an impact on services and infrastructure right now.

Local government workers and local communities are feeling the impact of service staff cuts, contracting out, failing infrastructure and reduced services.

But the ASU is fighting back. We’ve begun holding workplace meeting and talking to ASU members across regional Victoria and metro Melbourne about the Crisis on the Frontline.

But to give our campaign real impact beyond those who work in local government, we need your stories.

We want to hear stories of how overwork, poos services, labour hire and failing infrastructure are affecting workers and communities.

With the strength of our union and the power of your stories, we can make a difference to the fund of local government in Victoria.

Tell us your story about overwork, poor services, labour hire or failing council infrastructure

The post Crisis on the Frontline appeared first on ASU Victoria & Tasmania.

When industry super fund-owned bank ME asked Australians about their financial resolutions for 2020, five key goals stood out. So did the barriers that stop us turning goals into reality.

1. Save for a big-ticket buy

Australians’ number one money goal for 2020 is saving for a big-ticket item like a holiday or car. The main stumbling block is high living costs – so be sure to review regular expenses, including phone and energy plans, to see if you could get a better deal.

2. Build rainy day savings

Two out of five (42%) Australians want to grow emergency savings, but 21% say they lack financial discipline. Make it easy by setting up a regular transfer of cash into a separate savings account.

3. Save to buy a home

One in five Australians would like to buy a home this year. The problem is, 52% of people say their income is too low. Try speaking to the boss about a pay rise. A ME study found only 12% of workers do this, but of the ones that do, 75% scored a fatter pay check.  Look into joining your industry union too, and benefit from the power of collective bargaining.

4. Cut spending on expensive habits

One in five of us want to kick costly habits in 2020. Here’s a strategy to consider – give the habit a miss for a week or two, and tuck what you’d normally spend into a savings account. Seeing how much habits can cost could be the incentive that sees you quit for good.

5. Keep lid on debt

ME found 19% of Australians want to get the better of personal debt in 2020, though 13% say they’re held back by a lack of financial knowledge. Head to ME’s free online school of money, Ed, to get up to speed fast, and to start getting on top of debt.

This article is brought to you by ME. For more information, please visit www.mebank.com.au

Members Equity Bank Limited ABN 56 070 887 679 AFSL and Australian Credit Licence 229500

The post Australians’ top 5 money goals for 2020, and how you can achieve them appeared first on ASU Victoria & Tasmania.

The ASU has been notified of proposed restructure of Banyule City Council  IT & Digital Transformation Branch.

Main changes relate to

• A dedicated team within the IT & Digital Transformation department focused on delivering digital transformation projects (excluding infrastructure);
• No significant change to existing team roles with substantive occupants;
• Nil EFT change – existing EFT value is 14;
• An increase in Operational Expenditure due to a change and reclassification of one vacant role
• New temporary contractor / vendor hire roles for the initiation of the Digital Transformation program
• Additional costs including future project roles, staff backfill / agency and vendor costs will be estimated and recommended during the implementation planning stage.

In accordance with the Banyule City Council Enterprise Agreement No 7 2017 employees impacted by the proposed change are entitled to consultation, and to have their views represented by their Union. Council is required to give prompt consideration to matters raised by the employees in relation to the changes.

If you would like to better understand your rights and entitlements, ASU organiser Will Wyatt is very keen to hear members views on the proposal, and assist in formulating a response with those employee impacted by the change.

Feedback on the proposal is due by COB Thursday 12 March 2020.

To set up a meeting or to provide feedback through ASU, please contact: your local ASU delegate or
ASU Organiser Will Wyatt | 0418 320 625 | wwyatt@asuvictas.com.au

The post Banyule CC – Proposed Restructure of IT & Digital Transformation Branch. appeared first on ASU Victoria & Tasmania.