CPSU members win $1000s in back pay

Following consultation with DHCS and the Chief Minister’s Department, CPSU successfully campaigned for a variation of the DHCS agreement to correct irregularities regarding back pay for casual staff and traineeship security.

Casual staff employed as Disability Support Officers (DSOs) were losing out on a loading paid on hours worked, while people employed as Housing Manager Trainees were not given appropriate job security upon the successful completion of the traineeship.

Because of the casual pay issue, members were losing between $90 and $150 per fortnight – a significant portion of their pay.

CPSU held a series of meetings with affected members and then met with DHCS and CMD to fix the issue. CPSU proposed that the DHCS agreement should be varied to facilitate payment of the casual loading.

The union successfully negotiated for the casual loading to not only be paid, but also for it to be backdated to the date of effect of the agreement; 5 April, 2007.

As a result, members will receive considerable back payments. The CPSU members concerned were delighted and very grateful to their union.

Housing Manager Trainees

Members at DHCS told the CPSU they did not have an appropriate mechanism to be promoted to an ASO5 position at the successful completion of the traineeship.

Instead they would have been required to undertake a second onerous selection process, again with no guarantees of a job at the end.

CPSU met and worked collaboratively with DHCS to successfully resolve this situation.

The affected members were, again, very grateful for the CPSU’s intervention.

“Important wins such as these show how effective a strong union is in resolving difficult issues for members, be it back pay, promotion, health and safety or any other workplace issue affecting them,” said CPSU’s ACT Regional Director Vince McDevitt.

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