HACSU bargaining team met with The Hobart Clinic management again to hear their counteroffer on the new agreement.
After her absence last meeting, we were pleased to see that CEO Kath Skinner was able to find the time in her day to meet with us. But unfortunately, it looks like the only thing she’s giving workers this Christmas is a massive lump of coal.
The Hobart Clinic’s wage offer was a paltry 3.5%, 3.25% and 3.25% over three years.
It falls well below the 9% your colleagues in the public sector just won, and it more than fails to keep up with the rising cost-of-living that workers would be experiencing right now.
We were also extremely disappointed to learn that they weren’t willing to pay you a 200% shift penalty on a Sunday – even though all other workers at the clinic already get this (as they rightfully should).
To top it all off, they also flat out refused your ask for even one paid day of mental health leave –and when pressed, they went as far as to insinuate that they wanted it removed for general staff in the future too.
To be frank, we were shocked, because not only would you think you’d want to treat all workers equally – but to claim to be an organisation that cares about mental health yet baulk at a modest one day of mental health leave for their own workforce is pretty ironic.
On a more positive note, we did manage to agree on a few things at our meeting, including:
• Level 2 RNs to receive the in-charge allowance, so that you’re not getting paid less than Level 1s for more work (a big congratulations to your bargaining rep Jeremy who fought for this)
• A 250% penalty for working on Christmas – up from 200%
• 20 days family and domestic violence leave
• Increases to study leave
• Increases to compassionate leave
From the outset, HACSU bargaining team has made it very clear to your employer that nurses at the Hobart Clinic will not accept an agreement with a low pay offer and one where they refuse to fix your Sunday penalties so that they're treated the same as everyone else.
No matter how much the Hobart Clinic cries poor, we know workers deserve more and if we stand united, we know that we can win this.
Remember, there is strength in numbers, so if you’re not a HACSU member, you can sign up by visiting https://join.hacsu.org.au/
If you’ve got any questions in the meantime, or you’d like to be involved in bargaining, make sure you give me a call or send me an email through HACSUassist.