SUPPLEMENT TO THE AEU NEWS • APRIL 2013

A E U h e a d o f f i c e 112 Tr e n e r r y C r e s c e n t , A b b o t s f o r d 3 0 6 7 Te l : 0 3 9 417 2 8 2 2 Fa x : 13 0 0 6 5 8 0 7 8 We b : w w w. a e u v i c . a s n . a u

NEWSLETTERDISABILITY SERVICES

BEHIND the scenesDisability sector deputy VP Jen Walsh visits two well-unionised day services centres.

LAST month, organiser Kerry Maher and I visited AEU members at two disability day service centres: Onemda in Doncaster East and IDV in Macleod. At both centres, the CEO explained the history of the organisation and current

status, which included how their services are funded and how they strive to meet their clients’ needs by arranging educational programs to enhance the lives of people with an intellectual disability. We are grateful to them for taking the time to meet us and explain their operations.

Onemda is a not-for-profit organisation established in 1969 and managed by a voluntary board of parent, business and community representatives. Its mission is to enhance the quality of life of people with an intellectual disability by providing support, experiences and interactions to develop skills and enrich lives.

Onemda has a number of specialised programs and supports with an emphasis on individual needs and interests, providing support options to adults with intel-lectual disability on campus and in a variety of community venues.

Members are proud that their workplace is one of those visited by the Fair Work Australia bench which decided the Equal Remuneration Order case last year.

Bench members were impressed by the level of responsibility and skill demanded of our members and, like me, they must have been astonished at the low levels of pay for such important work.

Onemda’s clients’ needs range from low to high. The environment had a very

positive feel — bright and modern with accessible facilities. Management encour-ages staff to be AEU members. We spoke to staff and service-users as we toured through the workplace with the CEO and an AEU rep.

IDV, established in 1954, was the second disability centre that we visited, joined by Marylouise Chapman as the AEU organiser who looks after members in the MacLeod area.

We had a brief look at the main IDV site before being taken off-site to look at Next Step, a partnership program between IDV, Diamond Valley Learning Centre and Volunteers of Banyule. It’s a three-year training course developed for adults aged 18–25 who are:

1. Young school leavers2. Assessing or re-assessing their options and seek support or3. People who wish to gain skills, abilities and knowledge to live

independently.The experience was very positive and enlightening. In their very different ways, and with their different histories and atmospheres, these two centres are key ones for the AEU. They are strongly unionised, have a history of making the consulta-tive provisions in their agreement work, and have strong links with the union at a central level and with their organiser.

They have always been prepared to play a part in wider issues, such as the Equal Remuneration case, and in the recent past in securing pay rises through the “Memorandum of Understanding” years.

If you would like an organiser to visit your workplace to address your issues or talk about how you can become more involved in the AEU, call us on (03) 9417 2822 or toll-free on 1800 013 379. �

Rosemary Richards Scholarship 2013

NOMINATIONS are now open for the Rosemary Richards Scholarship,

a federal award of up to $10,000 that gives AEU women members the opportunity to increase their skills and involvement in the union at state, national or international level.

Rosemary Richards was a proud feminist, unionist and educator who played a crucial role in shaping the AEU as an organisation that reflects feminist principles. She died in November 2006 after a long illness. This scholarship was set up in her name in 2007.

Women members are invited to submit a proposal which may include

(but is not limited to):• Theestablishmentof awork-

shadowing arrangement or a mentoring arrangement;

• Researchorstudyexperiences;• Formaland/orinformaltraining

and development opportuni-ties (such as attendance at an appropriate conference); or

• Thedesignandimplementationof a discrete project.

More details including selection criteria and an application form can be found at www.aeuvic.asn.au/rr_scholarship. The deadline for applications is May 31. �

Learning life-skills with IDV staff

2 Disability Services newsletter | april 2013

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Disability Services Award Three band system Four band system Modern Award Job descriptors

VHIA agreements St Laurence SIAG

Sub-division 1 Band 1 Level 1 Band 1 Level 1

Band 1 Level 2

(Band 1 Level 3)

Level 1 Pay point 1 Unqualified entry point, undertaking training, personal care or similar work under close direction.Sub-division 2 Band 1 Level 2 Level 1 Pay point 2

Sub-division 3 Band 1 Level 3 Level 1 Pay point 3

Level 1 Pay point 4

Sub-division 4 Band 2 Level 4 Band 2 Level 1 Band 2 Range 1 Level 1 Level 2 Pay point 1 Qualified instructor, working under general guidance, to clearly defined guidelines.

Pay point 2 is Cert IV entry point

Sub-division 5 Band 2 Level 5 Band 2 Level 2 Band 2 Range 1 Level 2 Level 2 Pay point 2

Sub-division 6 Band 2 Level 6 Band 2 Level 3 Band 2 Range 1 Level 3 Level 2 Pay point 3

Sub-division 7 Band 2 Level 7 Band 2 Level 4 Band 2 Range 1 Level 4 Level 2 Pay point 4

Sub-division 8 Band 2 Level 8 Band 3 Level 1 Band 2 Range 2 Level 1 Level 3 Pay point 1 Qualified instructor working under general supervision, exercises initia-tive within established procedures. Work of greater complexity than level 2, including preparation of individual plans or person-centred planning.Three-year relevant degree - entry at pay point 3.Four-year relevant degree - entry at pay point 4.

Sub-division 9 Band 2 Level 9 Band 3 Level 2 Band 2 Range 2 Level 2 Level 3 Pay point 2

Sub-division 10 Band 2 Level 10 Band 3 Level 3 Band 2 Range 2 Level 3 Level 3 Pay point 3

Sub-division 11 and 12 Band 2 Level 11 Band 3 Level 4 Band 2 Range 2 Level 4 Level 3 Pay point 4

Sub-division 13 Band 3 Level 1 Band 4 Level 1

Band 4 Level 2

Band 4 Level 3

Band 4 Level 4

Level 4 Pay point 1 Under general direction, apply skills and knowledge.

In some cases these will be team leaders, or will co-ordinate the work of others

Sub-division 14 Band 3 Level 2 Level 4 Pay point 2

Level 4 Pay point 3

Level 4 Pay point 4

WHERE do you sit?The new pay structure explained.

David Bunn AEU industrial officer

THERE are two key elements to working out your minimum pay under the new system for disability day services workers, including the equal pay increases.Most important you need to know where in the new (modern) award pay struc-

tures you should be set.This translation or classification is done on the basis of the work you do — not on

the basis of what you are currently paid.The table below sets out the wide variety of ways in which your work has been

banded and organised in the past two decades, starting with the Disability Services (Victoria) Award.

The right hand column is the business end of the deal. Employers are issuing instructors with letters that tell you where the employer believes your work is situated in the new award structure.

We will soon have training available for members on these issues, but in the meantime check your letter (if you have one) against the broad indications in this table. �

COMING SOON: training on your pay scalesTHE AEU will run a series of training sessions on the Equal Remuner-

ation Order (equal pay case) in metropolitan and regional Victoria.AEU members at Murray Human Services in Swan Hill and the

Christie Centre in Mildura were briefed on the phasing in of the ERO and its impact on wages by organisers Kerry Maher and Marylouise Chapman in late April.

The sessions include information on the new classification structures in the modern award and how length of service, duties and qualifica-tions will affect the translation to the new scales. They also provide an opportunity to ask questions and seek clarification.

Watch out for emails from the AEU with details of training sessions in your area. �