As you may have heard, Fresh Hope are preparing to take their enterprise agreement out to a vote of staff next week.

We are asking all HSU members to have your say now in our HSU poll on whether the union should support or oppose this offer. The poll will close on Friday at 12 noon and we will then share the results and encourage members to support each other by voting accordingly next week.

Formal voting on the offer will commence next Tuesday 9 December at 9am.

If a majority vote ‘yes’ to accept the offer, the agreement accepted by staff and then sent to the Fair Work Commission for approval. If a majority vote ‘no’ to reject the offer, the HSU will continue bargaining with Fresh Hope and we will keep negotiating for a better deal in your new agreement.

Fresh Hope is proposing the following wage offer:

• 2.75% pay increase from the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2021.
• 2.75% pay increase from the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2022.

Note: Fresh Hope will also increase AIN/CSE Cert III year 1 by 3.5% from the first full pay period on or after 1 November 2021.

We have achieved improvements to some conditions, but many key union issues remain unresolved.

Improved conditions

• New provision for up to 5 days paid VEMA leave where an employee is engaged in a voluntary emergency management activity.
• Increased family and domestic violence leave to 10 paid days for permanent staff (unpaid for casual employees).
• Fresh Hope has included a provision for 5 days paid representative leave per facility per year.
• Updated provision to enable part time employees to have their contracts reviewed on a more frequent basis.
• Improved conditions to ensure compliance with Aged Care Award. 

Outstanding HSU issues

• Fresh Hope has not included a medication allowance in the EA to recognise employees taking on that responsibility, which is a key HSU claim.
• Fresh Hope has not addressed our uniform issues – both lack of supply and poor uniform quality – in any meaningful way.
• Fresh Hope has not agreed to ensure that all staff training will be properly scheduled and completed in ordinary rostered time.

You can view a copy of the full proposed enterprise agreement at this link. Please have your say now on whether you support the offer as it stands or believe we should keep campaigning for a better deal. 

If you any questions, please contact your HSU delegate or the HSU office on 1300 478 679.