It’s Going to be a Long & Hard Campaign

The first meeting with the VHIA (Victorian Hospitals Industrial Association) and the Department of Health took place last Friday 20 January 2012.

We were advised that:

• The employers would be serving the Union with an employer log “soon”. Under the government’s IR policy the employers are supposed to have developed their counter log 6 months before the expiry of the agreement.
• The government’s wages policy is

• 2.5% pa wage increase (even though this is less than the rate of inflation)
• Any increase above 2.5% must be funded by increased productivity through ‘bankable savings’
• No retrospectivity

The last point is particularly galling as the delays in bargaining have all been on the employer side – and our Agreement expired on 31 December 2011.

Future weekly bargaining meetings are scheduled.

A general meeting of members will be held on Wednesday 8 February 2012 at 62 Lygon Street to discuss future strategies for bargaining, including industrial action if necessary. Now is the time to get involved in the campaign, and to ensure your colleagues are all members of the Union, as only Union members may take industrial action. Workplace meetings are being planned. We will advise you of the date, time and place of meetings as soon as possible.

To view the Log of Claims, supplementary items and names of the EBA Negotiating Team go to Documents -> Campaigns -> Public Sector 2012 (login first)

There has been some confusion about the negotiations for psychologists employed in areas directly funded by the Mental Health Branch of the Department of Health.

This has arisen because HSU#2 Branch (HACSU) is now bargaining for allied health professionals such as social workers and occupational therapists employed in mental health under the Psychiatric Services Agreement, to the exclusion of HSU East (which covers the former HSU#3 Branch Health Professionals).

The VPA through HSU#4 (our Branch) will continue to represent and bargain for psychologists employed in all public health services, including area mental health services and state-wide services. We will be bargaining jointly with HACSU for psychologists employed at Forensicare.

In previous public sector bargaining rounds the negotiations over rates of pay and classification structure for psychologists have taken place in bargaining for the renewal of the Medical Scientists, Pharmacists and Psychologists public sector EBA by our Union. Any conditions particular to mental health and common to all classifications in mental health have been negotiated by HACSU under the Psychiatric Services Agreement and flowed across into our Agreement (for example, CATT on call allowance).

We are in discussions with HACSU regarding the current round of bargaining.

Please contact the office if you are experiencing any problems at your workplace over this matter.