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Winter 2004

Diagnostic Services come on board

As HACSU members across Tasmania chalk up impressive results in trying to improve their wages and conditions, more members and groups are coming on board.

One of the more significant examples of this is in Diagnostic Services, where the workforce of this private sector organisation has taken the important step of negotiating a union EBA.

Previously, negotiations were conducted by staff elected representatives.

As the members put it "In the past outcomes were ok but only just ok."

"This time management had a foregone conclusion that we would accept what we had in the past."

"People were not confident that the wage component would be comparable with other sectors."

"We felt we would be better represented by being in HACSU."

"There has been very strong interest in HACSU membership."

Members in Diagnostic Services have now elected two or three representatives from each area to
negotiate an enterprise agreement, and a log of claims has been drawn up.

There are a range of improvements to conditions which members want pursued, including;

• significantly improved wages, with a flat rate increase for lower paid workers, plus a general percentage,

• maternity leave,

• meal allowance,

• call backs,

• long service leave, and

• a review of classifications (which has been promised since 1996).

Members also noted and appreciated that management was happy to go down this new negotiating path.