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Autumn 2004

Industrial campaign brings results for members and residents at Mount Esk

HACSU members are continuing to negotiate with Mount Esk Nursing Home management over a roster restructure as Inform goes to press.

This follows a period of industrial disputation after management tried to impose a roster restructure at the end of 2003.

Initially, Southern Cross Care management - the owners of Mount Esk Nursing Home - approached staff with a proposal to slash 440 hours per fortnight from the roster, with a timeline of just 28 days for implementation.

HACSU members requested a consultative process, with a guarantee staffing levels would be maintained until an evaluation process was undertaken to gauge the impact of increased workloads on staff, an issue that ultimately would affect staff's ability to provide adequate care to residents.

Management refused, maintaining steadfastly that roster changes would be implemented without consultation.

HACSU members were left with no alternative but to commence an industrial campaign.

Eventually, management was forced to sit down and consult with affected staff.

The members of the HACSU Worksite Committee co-coordinated the campaign extremely well, with regular feedback sessions to members.

There were consistently large turnouts at membership meetings.

After extensive negotiation between management, HACSU delegates and officials, HACSU members voted on a revised roster to commence on a trial basis in February 2004.

Since implementation of the trial roster staff have identified a number of concerns, particularly the way they are able to deliver care to residents.

This has resulted in a large percentage of hours being reintroduced to the roster, justifying member original concerns that were raised with management throughout the consultative process.

At the time of going to press negotiations are continuing, to establish a final roster proposal.