IN A LANDMARK BALLOT, STAFF COMMUNITY BASED SUPPORT (CBS) HAVE VOTED OVERWHELMINGLY TO TAKE PROTECTED INDUSTRIAL ACTION.

Community Based Support staff have been negotiating for a new enterprise agreement since May 2013. Staff voted against the offer put to them by management in December, with an expectation that bargaining would continue. Instead in January management announced their intention to force workers off their enterprise agreement and back onto the award – a move which has been widely condemned. Awards contain the minimum conditions an employer can legally offer. The CBS enterprise agreement has in it conditions that are above the minimum.

“For a community services workforce to vote for protected industrial action is historic,” said HACSU Assistant State Secretary Robbie Moore, “and as far as we know this is the first time workers in the community services sector in Tasmania have chosen to take protected industrial action.”

“No-one makes these decisions lightly but CBS workers say they cannot accept reductions in wages and conditions. After all, these workers are already low paid and struggle to make ends meet.”

“For these workers—who care deeply for their clients—to be forced to take this significant action shows just how far they have been pushed.”

Management’s delaying and fear strategy has backfired, with workers now resolving to take industrial action.

CBS workers will ensure clients’ health and safety does not suffer during protected industrial action. Work bans are designed to impact on management, not clients’ welfare.
Underscoring the significance of this ballot is the fact stringent Fair Work Commission conditions had to be met for it to succeed.

“This should serve as a big wake up call to management that it is must work hard to regain the respect of its dedicated, hard-working workforce and that it must return to good faith bargaining.

“Membership meetings will now be held to decide how and when to roll out lawfully protected industrial activity.”

Statement by Disability Advocate David Pearce (OAM) and former President of CBS:

“As a former President, former Board Member, former Client and the current Life Member of Community-Based Services (South) Incorporated I wish to register my complete disgust at the way in which this service provider is attempting to reduce the salaries and working conditions of the many hundreds of people they employ. These highly skilled, professional and dedicated employees, many of whom have worked for CBS over numerous years provide essential services to my fellow Tasmanians living with disability and their families. In turn this enables them to become productive, contributing and highly respected citizens within their respective communities and Tasmania in general. As an Advocate on their behalf and as an individual living with a physical disability, I am genuinely concerned that any attempt to undermine and or undervalue the work and duties carried out by support workers has the potential to lead to a reduction in staff thereby causing reduced service delivery when it is needed most.”

David Pearce OAM attended the “Rally for Your Rights” outside CBS head office in February, and was inspired to write a letter of support for staff.

Chronology of Events.

 Negotiations commenced in May 2013.
 Numerous negotiation and membership meetings were held over the following months.
 In September Members voted on the outcome of the negotiations and gave in principle support for what had been negotiated.
 The new agreement was drafted, with the joint understanding that a ballot would occur in December.
 In early December CBS put out a draft agreement to staff with a new provision never discussed in negotiations. The new provision would mean any new staff would be paid at award rates – less than current CBS staff wages and entitlements – creating a two tier workforce.
 CBS refused to change this new provision.
 HACSU Members endorsed a NO vote campaign.
 All staff were entitled to vote – and the majority voted against accepting the agreement.
 In late December HACSU wrote to CBS asking to recommence bargaining.
 On 29 January 2014 HACSU received a letter from CBS advising HACSU that CBS would be in contact at the end of February to arrange a meeting date to recommence bargaining for early March.
 On 30 January 2014 CBS Notified staff (but not HACSU) that they intended to apply to the Fair Work Commission to have workers current agreement terminated.
 On 19 March 2014 CBS workers vote to take protected industrial action.
HACSU State Secretary Tim Jacobson