Changes coming to Centacare - Union Guide Attached!
The Services Union is by your side at Centacare, and that’s more important now than ever.
Why? As mentioned in our last newsletter, there is new legislation affecting “zombie agreements” which includes Centacare’s EBA (the Agreement). The impact of this legislation is that your agreement will cease to operate come 7 December 2023, and the Social Community Home Care and Disability Services Award 2010 (the Award) will take effect.
In July, our Union assessed Centacare’s desire to negotiate a new Agreement which would contain the above Award conditions provided for in your current Agreement. Unfortunately, Centacare has declined our proposal and reiterated the organisation’s intention to revert to the Award. As of 13 September, Centacare has not given a specific commitment regarding the protection of above Award wages and conditions in your current Agreement.
Due to the age of your agreement and the changes that have occurred to the Award over time, some conditions in the Award are better than your Agreement, and some conditions in your Agreement are better than the Award’s provisions. It's important that you’re aware of these differences so you know what might be gained or lost if the Agreement reverts to the Award on 7 December 2023.
So, which working conditions are subject to change?
Our Union has created a helpful guide to compare the differences between your current conditions under the Agreement and how they might change under the Award – click here to read more.
How would these changes impact you?
Our Union is in discussion with Centacare to address these potential changes, but your Delegates need to hear from YOU! Help our Union understand what’s important to our members and learn more about where members want to go from here.
To ensure your voice is heard:
1.Scan the QR code
2. Follow the link below:
https://bit.ly/unionsurvey-centacareEBA
Share this newsletter with your workmates and encourage everyone to complete the survey. If your workmates aren’t union members yet, remind them why you are! Ask them if they care about their current wages and conditions, and if they do, encourage them to stand with you to protect them.
If you’re reading this and you’re not yet a union member, then today is the day.
Your union workmates are capable of many things, but no worker could take this issue on alone. Your wages and working conditions are about to change, and there are quite a few changes that are very concerning. But if you’re not a union member, you’re saying to your workmates and Centacare that you don’t care about the changes or how they might affect you and others. If you don’t care about protecting your wages and conditions, why should Centacare?
Your Delegates have been very clear: there has never been a more important time to be a union member at Centacare than right now. And in this cost-of-living crisis, you may worry that you can’t afford union membership. But remember: your wages are at risk of changing, too. There are so many ways to save real money with union discounts, and studies show year after year that unionised workplaces earn more money. So, if finances are a concern for you (as for most of us), you simply cannot afford NOT to a union member!
Do not wait for a potential pay cut to decide. The time to act is now. Join The Services Union today.