Following agreement between the Union, the VHIA and the DoH on upgrading of our classification structures, health services should now have put balloting procedures into place to allow members to vote on the new career structures.

This enhancement of structures includes changes to classification definitions, hospital groupings (for pharmacists and dietitians). In addition some rates of pay have been extensively upgraded.

A summary of the changes for each classification is on our web site together with the full text of the new Agreement including descriptors, groupings and rates of pay.

Balloting process

8 July “Access Period” begins.

Employers to provide members with access to the amended Agreement and a summary of variations by the 8th July 2011.

To meet the ‘access’ requirement a health service may opt to provide each employee with a copy of the Agreement, post it on an intranet site, place a copy on a noticeboard or make a copy available in a specified location. Which ever method is chosen, members must be advised of where the Agreement can be located by 8 July.

At this time employees must also be given detail about when the balloting process will open and how it will be conducted. Specifically, this must include the time and place a vote on the Agreement will occur and the voting method that will be used.

By this date employees on any form of leave should also be notified of how they can gain access to the Agreement, notified of the meeting date and how they may cast an absentee vote.

16 July Voting period begins.

The parties have decided to follow the method used in last year’s ballot to approve the Agreement itself. (i.e. conduct site meetings and offer email balloting for staff who cannot attend the meeting). Each employer must take all reasonable steps to ensure that all eligible employees are able to participate in the vote, including staff on leave, part time, shift and relieving staff.

It is very important that a ballot is held in every health service as members will only have enforceable rights where there is a positive vote in their workplace. Crucially funding for the new structures will only be provided by DoH to these services. Members in smaller community health centres are asked to be particularly vigilant that a ballot is organised for their workplace as the agreed changes provide extensive benefits to community health dietitians in particular.

29 July Voting period ends.

Each health service must advise the VHIA by 5 August of the outcome of the ballot. i.e. The number of eligible employees, the number of votes cast, the number of “yes” and “no” votes and therefore whether the Agreement was approved or not approved. This advice must be provided to the VHIA no later than Friday 5th August 2011.

FWA is set to hear the application for approval of the amendments to the Agreement on 12 August.

We believe that the new classification structures are a significant win for our members and strongly recommend a “YES” vote in the coming ballots.