IN A LANDMARK EVENT, STAFF AT COMMUNITY BASED SUPPORT (CBS) ARE TAKING PROTECTED INDUSTRIAL ACTION FROM TODAY.
On Thursday 3 April 2014 between 12.00pm and 1.00pm HACSU Members will take indefinite or periodic stoppages of work of 15 minutes, 30 minutes or 1 hour. To coincide with the ‘stop work’ actions a community barbeque will be held outside the head office of CBS, in Moonah.
“This is the first time workers in the community services sector in Tasmania have taken protected industrial action and shows just how much workers want management to come back to the bargaining table,” said HACSU Assistant State Secretary Robbie Moore.
Community Based Support staff have been negotiating for a new enterprise agreement since May 2013. In January 2014 management announced their intention to reduce workers wages and conditions by forcing workers off the enterprise agreement and back onto the award. Union Members voted to take protected industrial action last month in order to halt a reduction in working conditions.
“We know that clients and family are supportive of staff, who are simply trying to get a fair deal.”
“These workers care deeply for their clients, and have been given no option but to take action.”
“The proposal by CBS management is not only to reduce entitlements and conditions. CBS want to have a system where different workers who perform the same work get paid and treated differently. This is a type of industrial apartheid that will create unhappy and divisive workplaces.”
CBS workers will ensure clients’ health and safety does not suffer during protected industrial action.
“CBS have dedicated, hard-working staff who just want a fair deal and a return to good faith bargaining,” Robbie Moore said.
Chronology of Events that has led to this action being necessary:
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.
3 April 2014 Industrial action commences with periodic stoppages of work of 15 minutes, 30 minutes or 1 hour
HACSU Assistant State Secretary Robbie Moore
