Your HACSU bargaining team attended the first negotiations meeting today with management representatives from Oak Possability to start bargaining for your new agreement. During the meeting, we outlined your log of claims and strongly pointed out the need for improved wages and conditions.
  
Oak Possability have said that they won’t reduce your current conditions, and they’ve agreed to a few of your claims around reproductive health and  wellbeing leave, pregnancy loss leave and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leave. While these are welcome news, there is still plenty more to work  through, including your much-needed pay rises.
  
Their wages offer is for a two-year agreement and they’re offering the Fair Work Commission’s increase to the award or 3%, whichever is greater. While they have offered to honour the increases to the award, 3% is well below the cost of living increase. We will continue to pursue better wages for you to make sure you won’t be financially disadvantaged.
  
We have strongly urged Oak Possability to also consider other items in your log of claims, including pandemic and vaccination leave, 13 weeks of Long Service Leave, increases to sleepover allowances and paying for sleepover allowances on annual leave, safe staffing and workload tools.
  
The next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday 19 October, and we’ll keep you posted. If you have any questions or are interested in getting more involved, please call HACSUassist 1300 880 032.