Calvary Community Care Enterprise Agreement Information (TAS)

Update on developments regarding the negotiation of your new enterprise agreement for Community Care workers in Tasmania.

It is our sincere hope to have a new, modern enterprise agreement negotiated as soon as possible, which will contain new terms and conditions that more accurately reflect the work you do and entitlements that are paid. To achieve this, Calvary is in the final stages of preparing a completely new draft enterprise agreement to be used as a basis for discussions and with the hope of having the negotiations move ahead faster.

The first meeting to commence bargaining was held on Tuesday 19 October 2021 attended by the Health and Community Support Union (HACSU) in which we discussed next steps.

Calvary advised the Union that we will soon provide them the draft enterprise agreement for their input and response. As part of the bargaining process, we also expect to receive any specific matters they would like included (called a log of claims).

As we commence formal negotiations, please know that we will keep you informed on developments as they occur, and keep you part of the process. This is also a reminder that if any employees wish to represent themselves or a group of employees, you can do so by letting us know your name and your intention to be an individual bargaining representative by emailing [email protected].

In anticipation of questions you may have, we have prepared some Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) which you can read below.

If you have any further questions or would like more information on anything to do with your enterprise agreement or the process, please email [email protected]. We will respond to individual questions and update the FAQs if we see questions of a common theme.

In order to allow HACSU to prepare their log of claims we are scheduled to meet on Monday 29 November 2021.

We look forward to updating you further and working with you all regarding the bargaining of a new enterprise agreement.

 

About the Enterprise Agreement – FAQs

  • The current Agreement for Support Workers in Victoria contained a nominal expiry date of 10 February 2014.
  • The current Agreement is still in force but it is old and in need of replacing with a modern agreement.
  • A new agreement will include as a minimum, conditions and that are found in the Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Industry Award 2010 (SCHADS Award).
  • Enterprise bargaining is the negotiation process between Calvary, its’ employees and their bargaining representatives (Health and Community Services Union – HACSU) with the goal of making one Agreement to cover both Community Care Support Workers and Administration and Office Based staff in Tasmania.
  • We have commenced this process to negotiate the terms of the Calvary Home Care Services Limited Support Worker and Administrative and Operational Employees (Tasmania) Enterprise Agreement 2021.
  • We are looking to include in a new Agreement, modern terms and conditions regarding how work is performed, rates of pay and entitlements. Wherever possible we will seek to use language that is clear and easily understood, in line with the Modern Award and consistent with Calvary procedures.
  • We will be recommending the removal of any clauses that are not used, and as such are of no benefit to Employees or Calvary.
  • We will look for opportunities to be contemporary within the Home Care industry.
  • The process is to initially discuss the Agreement with the HACSU and individual bargaining representatives and to work towards a final draft to include changes requested by all parties.
  • Once a final draft is reached, we will put the new Agreement to all Community Care employees in Tasmania to review and understand before voting on the Agreement.
  • Before we can go to vote, and during the access period we will provide employees covered by the Agreement with a copy of the agreement, explanatory material, any related documents, and guidance as to how employees will be able to vote on the Agreement.
  • During the access period, we will also hold multiple sessions to explain the Agreement to employees.
  • The Agreement will then go out for vote, and employees have the opportunity to cast a vote on whether or not they endorse the Agreement.
  • The Agreement will be approved if more than 50% of employees who vote are in favour of the new Agreement.
  • For that reason, it is important to have your say and participate by using your vote.
  • If the vote is ‘YES’, Calvary will then apply to the Fair Work Commission for the proposed Agreement to be ratified.
  • The Notice of Employee Representational Rights is sent to all staff who will be employed under the Enterprise Agreement. It advises all staff that bargaining has commenced and rights regarding representation in the bargaining process.

Schedule 2.1 – Notice of employee representational rights (TAS)

  • The following people can be bargaining representatives for a proposed enterprise agreement:
    • An employer that will be covered by the agreement
    • A representative appointed by an employer
    • An employee that will be covered by the agreement
    • A representative appointed by an employee or;
    • A union (if you are a member of the union who is a party to the enterprise agreement negotiations your union will by default negotiate on your behalf).
  • The Health and Community Services Union (HACSU) is the union representative.
  • The current Enterprise Agreement for Support Workers in Tasmania is called CALVARY HOME CARE SERVICES SUPPORT WORKERS’ENTERPRISE AGREEMENT VICTORIA AND TASMANIA.
  • The Modern Award is the Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Industry Award 2010 (Award), more commonly referred to as the SCHADS Award.
  • The process is to initially discuss the Agreement with HACSU and all other employee representatives and to reach a final draft to include changes that are negotiated into the agreement.
  • Once a final draft is reached, Calvary will advise all staff that the period to access the new document has opened (the access period) and it is then that all staff will be able to view the new Agreement.
  • After the access period which is a minimum of seven days, the Agreement can then be put to staff to vote on whether they accept or reject it.
  • Pay rates under the new Enterprise Agreement will be finalised during the bargaining process and will be available to view during the access period.
  • Calvary review pay rates each year in line with modern award increases.

No, as a nurse working for Community Care in Tasmania you are covered by the Calvary Home Care Services Nursing Employees Enterprise Agreement 2019 (National). Calvary is about to commence negotiations shortly to renew that National Nursing Enterprise Agreement and you are most welcome to participate in regard to the bargaining of that new agreement. We will issue you with a Notice of Employee Representational Rights soon indicating that bargaining has commenced and inviting you, a bargaining representative or your Union if you are a member,  to participate in the bargaining process.

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