Centacare members have important Q's about $$ 

• Will you get the 3.75% SCHADS Award wage increase in your next pay?
• Why are negotiations to renew the EBA not progressing? 

To get answers to these important questions we have written to your Director, Deb Clark.

We have let her know that frontline workers at Centacare are experiencing significant cost of living pressures with many living fortnight to fortnight, struggling to provide for themselves and their families. Centacare can assist you immediately by passing on the 3.75% SCHADS Award wage increase in the next pay cycle. Let’s see if they will.

As for the EBA negotiations, a new Agreement must be in place by December 2024, if we don’t have a new Agreement in place the SCHADS Award will apply.  This means that Negotiations must be finalised by the start of October 2024 to allow for a ballot process and the Fair Work Commission’s approval process.  October is just 12 weeks away! Yet there have been no negotiation meetings since the first meeting on Thursday 9 May 2024. In writing to the Director, we raised that all logs of claims have been tabled since the end of May 2024 and queried why Centacare Management have not put in place a meeting schedule.  We have expressed our concern that Centacare’s lack of action is a deliberate ploy to force workers to accept a substandard EBA offer at the 11^th hour, under the threat of reverting to the SCHADS Award.

With one of the highest staff turnover rates in the industry (38% each year) and Centacare values espousing care, dignity and integrity, we have conveyed your concerns that they are not making your EBA a priority after 13 years of waiting!

As soon as we have any answers, we will let you know.

While we wait for answers, did you see our new national campaign SKILLED, RESPECTED, EQUAL?

Members across Australia are campaigning for Fair Pay, Recognition, Training and Secure Jobs.