Medicare Staff Bargaining Position 08 - Summary

Your union team will negotiate on the principle of no trade off or loss of the current conditions you enjoy, and will seek the following improvements:

Fair pay and superannuation

Measures your union is seeking to ensure your pay is fair include:

• 5% pay rise per year (15% over 3 years) to acknowledge productivity, performance and the increasing cost of living;
• no link between your pay rise and reductions in unplanned leave;
• expansion of the CSO broadband in recognition of CSOs doing more complex work (including FAO);
• a review of the work you do to ensure it is consistent with what you are paid to do;
• being paid (or allowed to accrue flex) for all the time that you work including set-up time, wind-down time, and excess travel time;
• transitional arrangements for AWA staff, so that staff currently on AWAs are not disadvantaged;
• guaranteed employer superannuation contribution of at least 15.4%, regardless of your choice of super fund.

Genuine family/lifestyle friendly provisions

Your union believes that your agreement should contain measures to help you meet your caring and lifestyle needs.

Measures your union will seek include:

• Increasing current maternity leave from 12 to 14 weeks;
• improving paternity leave so that it is not debited from your personal leave;
• carers leave for caring for sick dependants or dependants who require unforeseen care;
• greater access to part time work;
• genuine flex arrangements;
• securing the 50% loading and volunteer system for Saturday trading;
• increased subsidy for school holiday child care;
• access to purchased leave to allow staff to apply for extra annual leave in exchange for reduced salary;
• Making decisions about your access to leave and other family friendly measures fairer - so that if you are denied access, you are given the decision in writing and provided with the reasons why (including details of any operational requirements cited).

Fair rostering arrangements

Your union will seek the following rostering arrangements for all areas where rosters operate including shift workers, Contact Centre workers, and branch staff (including part-timers):

• Rosters should be developed in consultation between you, your manager, and where appropriate, other staff;
• You should be given fair notice of roster changes;
• You should have reasonable control over your working hours: including nominating your rostered time off if you work Saturdays;
• You should be able to appeal unfavourable decisions regarding your working hours and be guaranteed a timely response;
• You should be financially compensated if your roster changes at short notice (for example you are called into work on your day off to cover for someone who is sick), and be able to refuse changes to your roster at short notice;
• Agreed regular working patterns, including part time work arrangements, shift patterns etc. should not be changed by management without your agreement;
• Rosters should be developed so that staff can accrue and access flex (note: part time and shift workers have limited access to flex).

Ensuring you can succeed

In a rapidly changing environment, adequate training and support is crucial for your job satisfaction, health, career development, and continuing good performance.

Your union believes:

• You should receive sufficient training to enable you to do your job effectively;
• training should be delivered in a professional and effective manner;
• learning and development time should be scheduled in adequate time blocks (especially in customer contact areas) so that all staff have access to quality learning and development time;
• some learning and development may occur outside rostered working hours. Where this occurs you should be paid for your time and receive applicable allowances (including travel time) and penalty rates where appropriate;
• Medicare should pay costs of membership of professional bodies and continuing education requirements, and facilitate the continued professional registration of professional staff;
• Medicare should commit to providing a safe and healthy work environment for all staff.

Genuine representation and consultation

Consultation about employment matters and your right to be represented by your union in any discussion with the management are components of a workplace that values and respects its employees.

Your union will be seeking:

• Consultation requirements defined in such a way that you are provided with all relevant information, given the opportunity to provide feedback, and be involved in the decision making process about any changes that are likely to affect your work, before decisions are made or implemented;
• the right to be represented by your union in any discussion with management;
• rights for union representatives, including the right to communicate with you, advocate on your behalf, and attend union training;