Dear Colleague

You can make a difference to your working future with the Health Services Union.

The Health Services Union is the thousands of members across Western Australia, and through our affiliation to the Health Services Union of Australia, the tens of thousands of people employed in Health and Community Services throughout Australia.

It is members who seek pay increases, conditions improvements, better safety at work, and who have work issues that need to be resolved. It is members issues that drive the union.

If you are not yet a member of the HSU I urge you to join. If you are an HSU member I encourage you to become active in your Union.

If you can take a few minutes to look at our website you can find out more about our union, its role, its structure and the services it provides. You can also join the HSU online, and contact us.

I look forward to working with you.

Yours in Union

Public Sector EBA 2011 - 3rd October 2011

For a copy of the WA Health HSU PACTS Agreement 2011 click on " Bargaining Updates" in the right hand side bar or visit www.withyouatwork.com.au

The Health Services Union (HSU) has delivered a 12 per cent pay rise over three years for more than 15,000 workers in Western Australia’s public hospitals and health services.

The HSU represents over 15, 000 Professional , Administrative, Clerical, Technical and Supervisory employees including 24 Allied Health and Health Science occupations such as clinical psychologists, social workers, medical scientists, radiation therapists, pharmacists, speech pathologists; clerical workers such as clinic, ED, ward clerks, medical secretaries, corporate services; technical staff including such roles as anaesthetic, laboratory, engineering , bioengineering technicians and welfare officers, Allied Health Assistants, and supervisors and managers in health.

The WA Health - Health Services Union PACTS Agreement 2011 was registered in the WA Industrial Relations Commission on 27th September 2011.

In accordance with the Government’s wages policy , employees employed at the time the agreement was registered, will be back paid to 4th July 2011.

WA Health advise us that the new HSU wage rates have been paid for all WA Health employees for pay day 29 September 2011.

Alesco based employees should also have received the back-pay on pay day 29 September 2011.

Lattice based employees PMH, KEMH. SCGH, OPH, Graylands, Fremantle, RPH, Rockingham, Armadale and WACHS will receive the back-pay on Pay Day 13 October 2011.

This agreement was achieved through the strong support of HSU delegates and members including the approximately 1, 000 members who attended the mass meeting at the Perth Convention Centre on 22nd June 2011. Faxes, emails and calls of support were receieved from members across the State. Thank you to all members for your continuing support of the HSU WA.

A special thank you to all HSU Delegates who assisted in getting members to meetings, getting information to members, and feeding back to the Union office. A great effort as usual!

The Agreement has many features which may be relevant to you and your workplace, for example, flexible working hours, or purchased leave arrangements.

The Agreement also provides a range of protections including, for example, discipline and grievances, and mobility.

There are detailed rights in respect of consultation and introduction of change.

HSU Secretary Dan Hill said the Agreement provides a solid foundation for members as we face an uncertain period.

"It is important that the Agreement has not only helped members at least keep pace with the projected cost of living but it has maintained and improved conditions of employment and job security." , he said.

"The Agreement gives members the framework to deal with challenges at their workplace. Over the next few years the public health system will be transformed as some hospitals close and new hospitals open, Fiona Stanley and the Midland Health Campus spring to mind."

"Privatisation, mobility, redeployment, and protecting and improving career paths, will be just a few of the challenges we will all face."

Keeping the HSU growing and strong is the best way to secure the future for members.

If you know a colleague who is not yet a member download the application form on this website and ask them to join.

Note: The current Public Sector EBA 2008 is still available via the top tab Campaigns and Issues.