DADHC update on negotiations, March 2005

The dispute regarding threatened strike action in November last year was resolved on the basis of undertakings given to the Association by the Department of Ageing, Disabilities and Home care (DADHC). In summary, those undertakings are as follows:

• The Department confirms that Regional Directors will be formally advised of all industrial agreements to ensure statewide adherence, especially in relation to rostering principles and the matrix of duties.

• The Deputy Director-General will review the rostering principles, in consultation with the Association, to ensure that they provide a transparent process for rostering, dependent on staffing requirements for client needs.

• The Department agrees to provide a full time Residential Support Worker Level 3 (RSW3) position in every service outlet.

• The criteria for determining if more than one RSW3 or no RSW3 is required in a service outlet will be negotiated between the Department and the Association.

• A comprehensive review, in consultation with the PSA, will be conducted into the corporate and regional restructure implemented in March 2004;

• The Director, Community Access, will develop a formal plan for Community Support Teams (CSTs) and review the distribution and allocation of resources within CSTs to ensure client needs are being met within the available resources of the Department and workload management issues are being addressed.

• The Department agrees it will conduct a review of Day Programs (not before mid 2005) and the Association will be consulted in the development of the terms of reference.

The Department did issue an instruction to Regional Managers in relation to agreements and existing policies being adhered to. These documents were posted on the Department's intranet.

Negotiations on the rostering principles commenced in January. The negotiations were punctuated by a dispute application filed by the Association over alleged breaches of undertakings given by the Department to the Association in relation to rostered hours. The Industrial Relations Commission recommended the parties recommence negotiations and that the status quo in regard to rostering (effective on and from 7 February 2005) be maintained until the conclusion of negotiations.

Rostering negotiations are continuing and guidelines are being developed between the parties. There has been substantial progress on the matter.

The Department has undertaken to provide a full time RSW3 in each service outlet and Regional Managers have been instructed in this regard. There have been preliminary discussions on the development of criteria to determine where more than one or no level 3 RSW is required. The Association is opposed to the operation of any service outlet without an RSW3. These negotiations have been stalled by disputation in relation to rostering.

The Department is currently drafting terms of reference for the review of the Corporate and Regional Restructure. The draft terms will be submitted to the Association by 24 March next for consideration.

In relation to CSTs there has been no advice from the Department regarding the formal plan or the review of the distribution and allocation of resources. The PSA's CST Advisory Group will be meeting on 23 March to discuss these issues.

There has been no advice regarding the timetable for the review of Day Programs but the Department stated this would not occur prior to mid 2005.