The ASU/USU wants to negotiate a new EB at Auscript. The current Auscript Australasia Enterprise Agreement 2010-2013 needs to be renewed.

We need a new EA for Auscript employees

The ASU/USU has written to the company to this effect but it has responded saying it will make a decision whether to negotiate a new agreement or not towards the end of this year and negotiations would begin in 2020 (if at all).

This is unacceptable. The union wants to get on with the job of re-negotiating the current agreement as soon as possible. You deserve a new Agreement and you need to be involved to ensure that negotiations begin and that a fair and reasonable outcome is achieved for members (more on this below).

Current workplace issues need to be addressed now

Members and non- members alike have recently brought to the attention of the ASU/USU a number of significant workplace issues that need resolution.

These issues include:

  • the lack of consultation over proposed changes to rosters and hours of work;
  • WHS concerns in respect of RSI injuries etc.;
  • performance managing employees out of entitlements and jobs;
  • rumours of employees being forced on to common law contracts.

These are very important issues to employees and the union wants to assist members in resolving these issues.

ASU takes Auscript to Fair Work Commission (FWC)

Very recently the ASU Victorian Private Sector Branch filed a dispute with the FWC regarding management wanting to change rosters and hours. A critical issue for all employees.

As a result of our dispute application the company wrote to the FWC claiming it did not intend to change the rosters therefore there was no dispute.

The ASU wrote to the company saying it would discontinue its dispute application if it sent a circular to all employees clearly stating that it would NOT proceed with roster and hour changes.

You may have received a company circular to this effect on “Rostering Changes” from Sharron Myers, General Manager-Operations, on or around the 15 October 2019. The ASU was not happy with this company response.

The circular’s vague reference to not “making wholesale changes to rosters” and “It is our intention to repeat this exercise (reviewing rosters) every six months” were not comforting to the ASU as to the company’s intent. Thus the ASU will continue with its dispute application.

You need to be involved to ensure better jobs and conditions

As you can see from the above there a number of important issues at your workplace that need to be addressed now. The ASU/USU needs you to be involved in order to successfully address them.

The union is a member driven organisation which relies on member subscription for its funding and bargaining power. We already have members at Auscript but we need more.

We encourage all employees to become ASU/USU members. We intend to become much more active at your workplace and we need your assistance to make us more effective.

The ASU/USU wants members to more easily communicate with each other

The ASU/USU would like to make it easier for members to communicate with each other regarding matters like the new EA and workplace issues of concern.

For example, we could set up a private member only Facebook page for Auscript members. Let us know how we can make communication easier by contacting your State Union Organisers below.

More information

For more information, please get in touch with Emily Callachor on 0417 420 924 or ecallachor@usu.org.au

If you’re not a member of the ASU/USU, you can join online now at our secure form: www.usu.org.au/join