IDEA ratification meetings

Proposed Settlement at IDEA after 11 months of Bargaining!

After 11 months of bargaining to renew the IDEA Services Support Worker and Admin Collective Agreement, we finally have a proposed settlement for members to vote on.

Its been a tough process involving multiple days of bargaining, eight mediation sessions, Facilitation with the employment authority, and a series of strikes and collective actions by union members to get to this point.

Claims and Counter Claims

E tū members wanted penal rates, recognition of SSW duties, and RIDAS workers among other things and IDEA wanted big changes to the service review process and a lot more flexibility around rosters and work locations and a three-year term.

The facilitator recommended the parties dropped these claims and agree to a short term sighting a lack of funding to the disability sector as a key barrier.

What’s in the deal?

• Pay increases for Administrators and Service Coordinators with 5.5% backdated and a further 2% from October 23^rd 2019.
• Scheduling Coordinators being covered by the Collective agreement for the first time with a 2% increase from October 23^rd 2019.
• A new allowance of up to $70 per week for RIDSAS workers.
• Specialist orientation for all staff working in RIDSAS
• Specialist training and clinical supervision for RIDSAS staff within six months of the Agreement being ratified and regular updates to the Union.
• A new on-call allowance of $150 (gross) which will increase if the SM payment increases.
• A process to remove SSW duties from support workers, a 50 cents per hour allowance for designated SSWs until those duties are removed, and two buy-out payment based on an agreed criteria. These members will also be fast tracked through the Level 4 training, which provides for a pay increase of up to $2.50 per hour.
• New scheduling clauses for unplanned situations including mileage and paid time, orientation and paid time to prepare in some cases, being updated on equipment and support needs, overtime if you are left with people you’re not orientated to support and a review process if you think these provisions are being misused. 
• A two year term expiring in October 2020 – so we’re back in bargaining in a year.
• An agreement to work together with IDEA to lobby for more funding to address issues in the sector.

What do the bargaining team delegates say about the deal?

The union bargaining team endorses the process and outcomes that have been achieved as being all that is possible in the current environment and look forward to working with all the parties to achieve a better funded sector.

What happens next?

You are being invited to two-hour paid ratification meetings between now and the 25^th of October to go through all the details of the settlement and vote. Make sure you turn up and ask any questions you have and have your say!

What if the proposed settlement is rejected?

The bargaining team have gone as far as they can through negotiating and while the short strikes forced IDEA to remove some claims and won mediation and facilitation, members will be voting for a five-day strike as part of a vote to reject the deal. This is what it would take to get a better deal.

What happens if the deal is accepted by members?

If over 60% of members who attend ratification meetings accept the deal, it will be implemented including the new pay rates and allowances.

Any member who thinks they are a designated SSW or undertaking SSW duties under the agreed criteria will have until the 22^nd of November to make an application to be part of the buy-out and a further four weeks to provide evidence to verify they qualify.

Delegates will be released on pay to meet with support workers and help them make their applications for this process and put together the evidence needed. This will probably happen at facility meetings after ratification so watch out for those. There will also be a template application form at the ratification meetings to make this easy for you.

The new scheduling changes will be explained in full at the meetings by area managers and union officials or delegates. These changes will not take effect for three months after the agreement is signed off. E tū will distribute flyers and info cards summarising your rights around these so you have the information readily available if you need it.

Joint lobbying for more funding – E tū and IDEA have agreed to join forces to lobby the Government for more disability sector funding. We will want you to be actively involved in this work as your voice and your stories will make a difference. The goal is to make sure any government elected in November 2020 prioritises the under-funding of disability services, so money is available when we bargaining again in a years’ time.

It is up to you decide! Make sure you have your say by attending a PAID ratification meeting in your area and voting on the deal.

Please check out the list of meetings below and see you there!