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Higher Qualifications Allowance - Plenty Valley |
We are pursuing back payment of higher qualifications allowance for members at this site who have not received this allowance despite providing details of their Higher Education on appointment 6+ years ago.
Do you have post graduate qualifications? Check the EBA to see if you are entitled to this allowance.
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Log of Claims - Public Sector Enterprise Bargaining |
Draft log of claims re conditions of employment and draft classification definitions for psychologists, dietitians and audiologists are available in the member-only pages of the website. Also posted is the draft classification structure for medical scientists and clinical perfusionists. Please provide feedback (if any) as soon as possible.
There will be a members meeting on THURSDAY 14 JUNE 2007 at 5.30 pm at Trades Hall to endorse the claims. Members will also be able to endorse the claims through the website. Details will be provided next week. All members are encouraged to attend.
We have had a preliminary meeting with the Department of Human Services in relation to the preservation of current entitlements which the government’s WorkChoices/WorstChoices laws prevent us from including in a collective agreement.
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Healthscope Bid for Symbion |
Healthscope (Gribbles Pathology) announced a cash and shares offer for Symbion Health (Dorevitch Pathology) this week. The Board of Symbion Health has endorsed the bid. Healthscope is predicting savings of $79M over 3 years in the diagnostic business. http://www.asx.com.au/asxpdf/20070529/pdf/312p059s2r6nf4.pdf The combined entity will be the largest pathology provider in Australia. What about the ACCC? Healthscope seems to be confident that the ACCC will not find that the deal offends s50 of the Trade Practices Act 974, which prohibits mergers and acquisitions which substantially lessen competition. We believe that the merger will substantially lessen competition and have made written and verbal submissions to the ACCC. We are grateful to Ian Farrance, life member of the MSAV, senior scientist, Fellow of the RCP in the UK and former Director of Pathcare in Geelong for his assistance in drafting the MSAV submission. The ACCC is due to release its findings on 15 June 2007. If the merger does go ahead, then e can expect ‘rationalisation’ of pathology services in Victoria. Potentially the impact will be felt by scientists in regional Victoria as well as in Melbourne, as in some regional towns and cities there is both a Gribbles laboratory and a Dorevitch laboratory. In Melbourne both providers have a large main laboratory (Gribbles at Clayton and Dorevitch at Heidelberg) as well as a number of smaller laboratories, some of which are located very close to one another. We will be holding meetings of members as soon as the ACCC brings down its decision, and we know whether the merger is going ahead. The role of the MSAV will be crucial in ensuring that there is appropriate consultation and proper processes for dealing with organisational change, and that members’ interests are protected. |
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Healthscope & Symbion EBAs on Hold |
Negotiations for the renewal of the Symbion EBA covering Dorevitch Pathology and Gippsland Pathology will be deferred until any merger of Healthscope and Symbion. If the ACCC does not find against the merger, this could be August. We have had informal discussions with Healthscope over the EBA which covers psychologists and dietitians employed at Healthscope hospitals. The discussions centred around deferring negotiations until the outcome of the public sector negotiations are known. |
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Rostering Issues at Austin Pathology |
Austin Pathology has notified a dispute to the AIRC over the restructuring of afternoon shifts in microbiology. Management want to roster scientists 5 afternoons in a row, while the scientists want to retain the status quo, under which scientists work one afternoon shift in a fortnight. This provides flexibility in taking ADOs and in rostering annual leave, and allows scientists to easily deal with family or personal responsibilities by swapping shifts. Despite the MSAV and its members offering solutions to management on a without prejudice basis, which would eliminate the change of shift allowance and the need to invoke the rest break provision after oncall, and despite management stating over and over at every meeting on the subject that they ‘won’t die in a ditch’ over the 5 night roster, the matter is off to the Commission. The ditch is starting to look very crowded. |
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Restructuring Issues for Psychologists Employed by Royal Children's Hospital |
Discussions and consultation continue over the establishment of an Integrated Mental Health Program across all mental health and psychology services at the RCH. One of the issues for psychologists is the proposed abolition of the Department of Psychology. Other concerns include the failure to advertise psychology positions as clinical psychology positions in CAMHS; the classification of Team Leaders and manager positions under our certified agreement; the appointment of psychologist discipline senior positions and the tension between the role of dedicated psychologist positions and the role of psychologists recruited to generic positions. |
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Private Practice - Issues for Public Sector Psychology Services |
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We have written to all major public health services seeking to have discussions around the challenges posed to the provision of public mental health services by the introduction of Medicare rebates for consultations with clinical psychologist. The VPA welcomes the availability of Medicare rebates for psychological services, but recognises that there are likely to be problems in retaining experienced clinical psychologists within public mental health. We know of a number of clinical specialists and other senior psychologists who have already left the public sector. |
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Eastern Health Closes Early Childhood Psychology Services - Knox Community Health |
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Eastern Health has moved to close this service on the 30 June 2007, as it ‘does not fit with the core business’ of Eastern Health (whatever that means). As a result, the two psychologists at the service, both VPA members, will be made redundant. We have received an Impact Statement from Eastern Health and expect to start discussions with management over the proposed closure and options for our members, after meeting with members. |
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We have successfully negotiated backpay for a number of members in relation to Easter Saturday entitlements, higher qualifications allowances and payment for working through meal breaks. |
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Peter Mac - Totally Smoke Free |
Thursday 31 May was “World No Tobacco Day” with a focus on “Smoke-free environments. This is the day Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre chose to become Totally Smoke Free. Up until now, Peter Mac has tolerated smoking in a designated smoking area but as of 31 May 2007, smoking is not permitted in or adjacent to any Peter Mac facility. Tobacco smoke is harmful to the health of smokers and non-smokers. A Totally Smoke Free Peter Mac means a safer place for all. MSAV and VPA support this initiative. |
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Quarterly Essay 26: His Master's Voice |
 By David Marr
PB $14.95
John Howard has the loudest voice in Australia. He has cowed his critics, muffled the press, intimidated the ABC, gagged scientists, silenced NGOs, censored the arts, prosecuted leakers, criminalised protest and curtailed parliamentary scrutiny. Though touted as a contest of values, this has been a party-political assault on Australia’s liberal culture. In the name of “balance” the Liberal Party has muscled its way into the intellectual life of the country. And this has happened because we let it happen. In His Master’s Voice, David Marr investigates both a decade of suppression and the strange willingness of Australians to watch their liberties drift away. http://www.blackincbooks.com/
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MSAV + VPA +AHP News
