HCF EA: WHERE ARE YOUR INTERESTS?

HCF’s email 21 August 2018

Response from the United Services Union

One of the concerns raised by employees in the feedback sessions post Round 1 vote is around protecting the 17 ½% Annual Leave Loading which EA employees currently have. I would like to stress that removing this entitlement from current employees has never been discussed and only YOU, the employees, can actually remove it from the EA by voting to remove it – HCF alone cannot!

HCF is correct, if you vote NO to this Enterprise Agreement (EA), the annual leave loading will NOT be removed. 

HCF is incorrect that it was never discussed. 

Unfortunately, the writer was not present in the negotiation meetings – if he had been, there may have been a better outcome.

Is the workplace consisting of the “haves” and “have nots” fair?

HCF is not about reducing employee benefits, in fact quite the opposite. In the last few years we have added many benefits, some of which have taken us to an industry leadership position. Some of these include:

These “benefits” reside outside of your Enterprise Agreement.  These “benefits” are contained in internal policies only.

Internal policies which are not properly consulted on.

Internal policies for which you are unable to raise a grievance over because of the weak Grievance Procedure contained in your Enterprise Agreement. 

P.S. removing annual leave loading of 17.5% is a reduction in entitlements.

Note: a “benefit” that is not contained in your Enterprise Agreement can be changed at any time and without consultation. 

Adding a Family & Friends Day, in addition to annual leave for all employees,

The 2016 Enterprise Agreement restricted the use of this day for regional and interstate staff meaning F&F day had to be used on a local gazetted holiday.  In the proposed agreement this restriction was simply removed. 

In March this year we implemented paying 12 months Superannuation payment for employees on Parental Leave, in addition to the 15 weeks of fully paid Parental Leave,

This is not contained in the proposed Enterprise Agreement.

Provision of 5 days Hospital Leave (on top of Personal Leave entitlement) in case an employee requires hospitalisation at any time,

This is not contained in the proposed Enterprise Agreement.

Employee Full Salary Continuance Insurance (to protect you and your family) in the event of accident or illness where HCF pays 100% of the premium. In most companies the premium is deducted out of YOUR Superannuation contributions,

This is not contained in the proposed Enterprise Agreement.

Death & Total & Permanent Disability  Insurance (D&TPD) to provide certainty for your beneficiary/family in the event of Death or T&PD again where HCF pays 100% of the premium. In most companies the premium is again deducted out of YOUR Superannuation contributions,

This is not contained in the proposed Enterprise Agreement.

Christmas Recognition Gift (which includes a $150 Gift Card and $50 subsidy towards a Christmas lunch), and

This is not contained in the proposed Enterprise Agreement.

As announced yesterday, an increase from 35% to 50% in the HCF subsidy of the Employee Health Plan.

This is not contained in the proposed Enterprise Agreement.

I appreciate the Round 2 vote has come around quickly and we have done this to try and ensure that with a YES Vote, we can get the 2.5% remuneration increase for 2018 (2.5% for 2019 and 2.5% for 2020, being 7.5% in total) approved and backdated to the first full pay period following a ‘YES’ vote.

The pay increase is not universal.

It is not guaranteed that you, or your colleagues will receive an increase. 

This pay increase is performance based.  HCF’s performance program does not formally exist.