We met with The District Nurses and South Eastern Community Care management on Monday 1 July as they responded to your log of claims.
Whilst they were not in a position to respond to all your claim items, nor put forward a position regarding wages, they did agree to make some positive changes to your proposed Agreement and work:
• Members will be paid a buddy allowance of $2.50 per hour where they are responsible for buddying in new employees. Whilst this is already an entitlement for SECC workers, it is to be expanded to TDN employees
• Rest break period to be expanded from 10 minutes to 15 minutes
• Cost of obtaining and renewing police checks will be paid by TDN/SECC
• Super to be paid into your accounts every pay week
• A clause protecting against bullying and harassment in the workplace
• Reimbursement of the cost of doing activities with clients and eating meals or having a coffee with clients - provided that the activity/meal cost is covered by the client’s care and support plan (this will be new for TDN employees)
• Training to occur in work time or paid appropriately for out of hours work (which may include overtime) On the negative side, TDN refused your claim for universal payment of a first aid allowance (they claimed it’s part of your job and not an extra skill).
They are considering their position on a number of other claims including whether you should:
• Receive $10 compensation for working shifts with clients known to have a communicable illness
• Be paid an allowance if you have to handle nauseous linen
• Have an entitlement of 5 days compassionate leave (up from 3 days)
• Be paid $1.20 per km when using your own vehicle and to be paid travel allowance when you have to drive excessive distance to your first client and from your last client to home.
TDN have now agreed to meet again on 26th July 2024 to progress the claim items they have not yet responded to.
We’ll keep you updated but stay tuned and stay engaged. Passionate and active members directly create good outcomes.