As negotiations for your new Enterprise Agreement (EA) continue to progress, your union representatives wish to seek your feedback on changes HCF Management are proposing to make to your overtime, ordinary hours and pay cycle.
 
As highlighted in last week’s update (you can read by clicking here), we have serious concerns over how these changes will be rolled out in practice and how employees will lose out on conditions especially employees who regularly work overtime or on weekends.

So, what are the changes HCF Management are proposing?

Overtime and Ordinary Hours

Currently overtime applies to you if you work:

  • outside the ordinary hours between 7AM – 9PM Monday to Sunday
  • exceeding 10 hours on any given day
  • exceeding 37.5 hours on any given week
  • exceeding 5 days per week

HCF Management are seeking to redefine when overtime payments apply changing it to you must work over an average of 37.5 hours per fortnight before overtime payments apply.
 
This especially will affect part-time employees meaning that if you don’t work past 37.5 hours per fortnight, you will not receive overtime payments.  
 
Currently, for employees who work on Saturdays, you are currently entitled to a 150% penalty rate loading for the first 2 hours and 200% for all further hours worked on Saturdays.
 
HCF Management are proposing to NOT pay you the penalty rate loading of 150% for work performed between 8AM – 12PM on Saturdays. (Note they are proposing not to pay the 150% between 8-12 and not to pay the 200% for further hours)
 
Currently if you are ‘called-in’ to work outside the ordinary hours of work, you will be paid a minimum of 4 hours overtime.
 
HCF Management have proposed to change this to 3 hours overtime meaning you lose an hour’s overtime pay for ‘called-in’ or ‘called-back’ work.
 
Currently rostering requirements entitle you to have 2 consecutive days off per week.
 
HCF Management are seeking to remove this rostering requirement simply meaning your weekends or days off equivalent can be split.
 
Currently part-time employees that are requested to work any reasonable additional hours without 2 weeks’ notice will receive a loading of 20% for all additional hours worked up to 37.5 hours.
 
HCF Management is seeking to amend this requirement so that 20% of loading is payable to part time employees where 1 weeks’ notice is not provided.
 
Currently you are entitled to receive a meal allowance if you have worked at least one hour of overtime on a weekday or over 5 hours of overtime on a Saturday
 
HCF Management are seeking to amend this to at least 2 hours of overtime on a weekday and 7 hours of overtime performed on a Saturday before you receive a meal allowance.

Pay Cycle Changes

 Currently for full time or part time employee you are paid fortnightly, 1 week in advance and 1 week in arrears.
 
HCF Management are seeking to change the pay cycle arrangement to 2 weeks in arrears altogether for all employees.
 
Whilst we understand the logic and principle of this change, we have significant concerns that when and if the transition happens, current employees will have to ‘miss out’ on a week’s pay to make up for the change to arrears.
 
However, cutting to the point, that week’s pay will be paid back to you in arrears when you leave HCF.  
 
HCF Management although have emphasised that support will be available during the transition for employees who can’t afford to ‘miss out’ on week’s pay, we are still actively working with Management to mitigate as much as possible the potential financial loss.

Have Your Say!

In short, your Union Representatives have significant and serious concerns regarding the changes HCF Management are trying to make in this round of negotiations.
 
We have been bargaining from two fronts, to seek better our pay and conditions whilst protecting a range of current conditions summarised above.
 
However, the position we ultimately take on these changes will be determined by you.
 
Please complete our survey by this Monday 12th September 2022 and tell us what you think about HCF Management’s proposed changes by clicking here.
 
Additionally, if you have any questions or feedback, please do not hesitate to reach out to your Union Representatives, Kevin Gabutti, Amanda Higham, Nick Reed, Richard Irwin, Michael Gorgeios and Lauren O’Connor.
 
You can also give me a contact me via my details below at any time!

Stronger Together!

If you know of a colleague who isn’t yet a union member, forward them this email and encourage them to join us.

As the largest union representing Health Fund employees in Australia, our members are actively having a say to improve our working conditions across the whole industry.

New members can join at https://usu.org.au/join/ or by calling 1300 136 604.