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Winter 2004

ELIZA PURTON NURSING HOME roster hours cut by 198 hours

Earlier this year, HACSU members employed at Eliza Purton Nursing Home and Coroneagh Park Aged Care facilities stepped up industrial action in an effort to force a resolution to levels.

During extensive negotiations, staff agreed to reduce roster hours by 190 per week. This was not acceptable to management who wanted to reduce the workforce by 300 hours per week.

Staff believed management's proposal would have a dramatic impact on the quality of care provided to the elderly residents at both homes.

A joint hearing was held in the Australian Industrial Relations Commission and the Tasmanian Industrial Commission on the 18 May 2004.

The outcome of the hearing was:
1. all bans, limitations and threats of industrial action be removed forthwith,
2. the parties are to confer in respect to rosters, which will reduce hours by 198 hours per week.
3. discussions to commence about the employee profile for the proposed rosters,
4. the parties to agree to a set of rosters, which will be introduced as soon as is practicable to be reviewed over a period of three months,
5. within the three months period, the parties will monitor and address issues, if and when, they arise.

The parties will maintain information and data for review after three months of implementation.

The roster will continue in place, unless agreement is reached to do otherwise, whilst the parties review their implementation.

The review will consider any further reduction in hours, which may be sought by the employer.

The parties will report back to the Commission prior to the expiration of the three months review period.

The parties to comply with the disputes settlement procedures found in the appropriate awards in the event of any disagreement or dispute, which may arise in the period of discussions and review.

Negotiation took a further 10 weeks to get an agreement on the profile of the roster, and at the time of going to print it is anticipated that the trial rosters will commence on the 26 July 2004.