It’s been a massive year in Housing that saw many changes in Housing workplaces.
Below are just some of the areas we have been working on over the last year:
Recruitment Processes The É«ÀÇÉçÇøhas been advocating for recruitment processes to be fair and transparent throughout 2019, including clear communication throughout the process and the opportunity for meaningful feedback after the process. The É«ÀÇÉçÇøhas established “recruitment” as a standing item on JCC agendas, along with Work Health and Safety. While there are still some areas that need to improve we have been able to ensure that many areas adhere to these principles. This will continue into 2020.
Wellbeing The É«ÀÇÉçÇøalong with your delegates attends regular Wellbeing Forums to consult on ways that the Department can better support staff who are required to work in extremely difficult situations. As members would know you regularly work with difficult clients or are put in difficult situations on the front counter. The É«ÀÇÉçÇøis committed to ensuring this forum delivers practical outcomes for members not just broad brush strategies in 2020.
LEAP The É«ÀÇÉçÇøis aware that LEAP has been a significant impact on members over the past 12 months. We have regularly pushed for districts not adequately supporting staff to provide them with time and resources to complete their LEAP or LEAP for Leaders. We have negotiated significant improvements for members.
Accommodation Working Group The É«ÀÇÉçÇøattends the Accommodation Working Group meetings to consult on refurbishments, co-locations and relocations. The É«ÀÇÉçÇøcontinues to assert that physical security issues overlap with safe operating procedures and fight for secure booths and proper safe work procedures. We have had significant wins in this area and will continue to represent members in 2020.
Rough Sleeper Count/Engagement Week Homelessness
The É«ÀÇÉçÇøhas raised significant industrial and work health and safety concerns with a number of homelessness initiatives being implemented around the state.
The É«ÀÇÉçÇøwas not consulted prior to the implementation of these initiatives. We subsequently advised management that the Association and our Health and Safety Representatives (HSRs) were not satisfied that workers safety concerns had been addressed, nor that an adequate risk assessment was conducted. Our primary concern is for the safety of our members. É«ÀÇÉçÇøadvice to any affected members, is to contact the É«ÀÇÉçÇøMember Support Centre on 1800 772 679 for industrial support and advice.
Incident Reporting Begins with YOU – report, report, report!
The É«ÀÇÉçÇøwill continue to work with delegates to improve incident reporting throughout Housing offices. Members are reminded that both psychological and physical injuries, as well as near misses and hazards, should be logged in SAP. This includes observing incidents.
The best way to improve your safety at work is to ensure that the Department has realistic data of what the issues are. The É«ÀÇÉçÇøwill be increasing our focus on Work Health and Safety in the new year.
Social Housing Management Transfer
The Social Housing Management transfer came to a close this year. The É«ÀÇÉçÇøwas successful in supporting most members to be redeployed into other roles in Housing. We would like to extend a special farewell to those members that left Housing during the transfer.
2020 Housing Member Survey
The É«ÀÇÉçÇøhas been negotiating with different districts and the wider Department to fix many of the issues listed above and while we have been able to get some significant improvements in some areas we want to do a lot more.
The É«ÀÇÉçÇøwill be surveying members early in 2020 to determine members’ priorities for the É«ÀÇÉçÇøand will to fight for the things that we know members care about, supported by your input in the survey.
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Thank you and Merry Christmas
The É«ÀÇÉçÇøwould like to say a special thank you to those members working over the holiday break. Working over the festive season can be difficult and we thank you for it.
For those of you able to take a break over the festive period have a lovely holiday and see you in the new year.
Two easy things you can do to support your union:
Support the work of the É«ÀÇÉçÇøand delegates by asking your colleagues to JOIN their union.
If members you work with have not received this bulletin, forward the survey link to them and ask them to update their details at .