Sleepover update
Since the passing of the Sleepover Wages (Settlement) Act requiring employers to pay disability support workers the minimum wage and back pay for overnight shifts, the PSA has been working with employers and the Ministry of Health to reach agreements. A lot of progress has been but there is still some way to go. The union has developed a standard agreement template with the Ministry of Health and has been working to get employers in the sector to sign up.
Abano – mediation scheduled
Access – meeting occurring with employer
Anglican Trust - template ratified and meeting to sign agreement to be confirmed
Barnardos –template ratified and meeting to sign agreement to be confirmed
Central Health –– meeting occurring with employer
Challenge – meeting occurring with employer
Community Connections – meeting occurring with employer
Corstophine – initial meeting and further meeting to be scheduled
Donaldson Trust– meeting occurring with employer
Goodwood Park – meeting occurring with employer
HCNZ – sorting out ACC liability
Hamilton Residential Trust– meeting occurring with employer
Hauora Waikato– meeting occurring with employer
Hawkes Bay DHB – meeting occurring with employer
IRIS – meeting occurring with employer
MASH –template agreement signed and sent to MOH
MSD/CYF –template signed and going through order in council process
Mahitahi Trust – meeting occurring with employer
NMDHB – meeting occurring with employer
Omahanui Special Care– meeting occurring with employer
PACT – meeting occurring with employer
Pathways – second meeting scheduled for after their Board meeting
Puhinui Homes– meeting occurring with employer
Q-nique – meeting occurring with employer
Raukua Hauora O Tainui – meeting occurring with employer
Rescare –template agreement signed and sent to MOH
Richmond – – meeting occurring with employer
Salvation Army – awaiting date for second meeting to be confirmed
Spectrum – agreement signed and an order in council being prepared (1% to all workers from 25 Dec in addition to and separate from CEA settlement of 2+2)
Te Roopu Taurima – agreed to template in principle and members ratified now awaiting response from MOH
Taonga trust – disputing the length of the sleepover period
Te Anua Nua – meeting occurring with employer
Te Runanga O Toa Rangatira– meeting occurring with employer
Te Taiwhenua O Heretaunga-– meeting occurring with employer
Te Whare Mahana – meeting occurring with employer
Totara trust –– meeting occurring with employer
Waikato CLT – meeting occurring with employer
Walsh Trust –template signed and sent to MOH
Westbridge – meeting to be arranged with employer
Sleepover settlement proposed
The PSA and the Service and Food Workers Union (SFWU) have been in negotiations with the Government and providers to settle the sleepover dispute. Over the next couple of weeks the PSA will be working with disability and mental health providers to implement the heads of Agreement for PSA members.
The key elements of the proposed settlement are:
* The employer will pay 50% of the current minimum hourly wage rate for sleepovers backdated to 1 July 2011 and then 75% from 1 July 2012 then 100% no later than Christmas 2012.
* 50% of the back pay owed (plus an annual leave adjustment) to be paid to those who have filed and have worked sleepovers between 1 July 2005 and 30 June 2011.
* Those members who have filed claims for the period 1 July 2004 and 30 June 2005 and who ceased employment during that period will be paid back pay for that period on same basis as the point above.
The Government will fund increases to the minimum wage but it will only fund 100 % of this cost from 1 July 2013. Employers will pick up the cost between Christmas 2012 and 1 July 2013.
The proposed settlement is a vast improvement on the previous offer to phase in the minimum wage over a four-year period and provide only 25% of back pay to current staff only, capped at $45 million.
The next step is to get disability and mental health providers to sign up to the settlement and PSA members involved in the legal action who are employees or authorised ex-employees of those organisations to vote on it.
Look out for notices of meetings in your workplace or region.
Send John Key and Tony Ryall a message
If you think sleepover workers deserve a fair go, tell John Key and Tony Ryall to get back to negotiations.
Over at our Up Where We Belong site, we've set up a simple template for microsoft outlook and a word version for those using other email clients. Click here to go to the site.
NOTE: Please ensure you are sending from a private e-mail address as we don't want members falling foul of any workplace policies.
Lobbying your MP
Use these lobbying notes and contact your local MP about the sleepover case. You can find your MP over at the New Zealand Parliament website.
Sleepover newsletter
November 2011
June 2011
Meeting notices
The PSA and SFWU held meetings around the country for members who work in disability and mental health support services. Over 90 percent of PSA and SFWU union members have rejected an offer from Government to settle the long-running sleepover case....more.
Get the facts
Read more about the sleepover case.
NGO disability and community support
The PSA has 4000 members working in NGO disability, mental health and aged support services.
The industry is characterised by low of pay and poor career opportunities, largely because of an inadequate funding system. This reflects poorly on us as a society and the value we place on providing the support people need.
Job evaluation proves that support workers are hugely underpaid
An independent job evaluation commissioned by the PSA proves that community support workers are underpaid by over $7000 a year. Pictured is researcher Janice Burns with community support workers.
Job evaluation briefing paper
Job evaluation report
Radio NZ interview transcript
Carers' strategy has to be backed by resources
The PSA supports the government's ‘Carers’ Strategy’ but says it must be backed by the resources required for extra use of residential care.
Carers' strategy