In a shocking move, Hobart City Mission have indicated that they will seek to remove themselves from the Tasmanian Disability Services Industry Multi-Employer Agreement (MEA) and force you to fall back to the SCHCDS Award. This is a hostile attack on workers’ rights and conditions.

After we proposed to Hobart City Mission to improve your conditions by updating the MEA, they have not only rejected our proposal but also announced their intention to withdraw from the collective agreement entirely.

Although Hobart City Mission said they’ll keep your current MEA entitlements in your employment contract, having you employed on the SCHCDS Award would mean:

• You would no longer be protected by a collective agreement

• We couldn’t bring disputes on many matters to the Fair Work Commission – this would give Hobart City Mission the licence to do whatever they like

• Hobart City Mission would be able to weasel out of many industrial laws

• Your continued employment would be undercut as new employees could be hired on different contractual terms

• If the disability services part of the business is ever sold, Hobart City Mission could reduce your entitlements to the SCHCDS Award. This could mean you’d suffer huge reductions in pay, such as the sleepover allowance.

We’ll strive to push Hobart City Mission to bargain for a single enterprise agreement rather than proceed with their terrible plan to attack your pay and conditions.

It’s time for all HACSU members to get active and vocal to demand Hobart City Mission to do right by workers. If we stand together, we can force Hobart City Mission to back down.

Stay tuned for our updates. If you have any questions or want more information, don’t hesitate to contact HACSUassist on 1300 880 032 or at assist@hacsu.org.au