An Update on the Negotiations with MYC
Members will be aware that a meeting was held on Friday 10th October between MYC management and ASU delegates/officials. This meeting was cut short because MYC:

• Refused to provide a detailed financial explanation as to why its budget is $1.2 million short.
• Bypassed and breached the agreed negotiating process by circulating the so called roster “options” to all staff before the meeting.
• Insisted that the ASU retract a statement made in an ASU newsletter. This was declined.

The ASU is very concerned at the approach MYC is taking to these negotiations. Our concerns are:

• At our earlier meeting on Tuesday 7th October, the ASU delegates presented members concerns with the rosters and suggested some possible roster options including:
  3 X 8 hour shifts
  24 hour shifts commencing at 10am or 11am;
  3 monthly rotating rosters.
• MYC agreed to meet with us on Friday 10th October to present some draft rosters along the above lines.  Before the meeting on Friday, MYC sent so called roster “options” to all staff and announced that the implementation of these changes would be announced at a meeting of staff on October 20th.
• This is NOT what we agreed. MYC is not acting in good faith or in accordance with our agreed process. Implementation of the new rosters cannot occur until negotiations have concluded.
• Proper and genuine consultation and negotiation means that management needs to be prepared to listen to the concerns of workers and be open to amending the rosters.
• MYC has also refused to provide us with the financial details we had requested (See our letter to MYC of 9/10/08). Unless we understand the financial situation properly, how can we accept that there is a deficit of $1.2 million as claimed?

MYC has now distributed new roster “options” following the ASU delegates meeting with management on Tuesday 7th October. These new changes do NOTHING to change the fact that for some workers the cut in your take home pay is up to $400/fortnight and on average the loss is approximately $150/fortnight. They also do NOTHING to improve workplace safety, especially with 4pm to 4pm shifts and also cutting weekend support shifts.  All the “options” that have been circulated do, is change the length of the rotation – nothing more.

Rather than being focused on what the impact of the changes to the roster will be on you and your family, MYC seems fixated on two things:

• an ASU newsletter which did nothing more than quote the CEO. This sideshow should not distract you from the real issue.
• a battle of words about “who said what to who” in meetings and in emails.

This is a sideshow designed to distract you from the real issues - these rosters that will cut your pay by a total of $1.2 million, put your work safety at risk and have a negative impact on residents.

What Members Need to Do

1. MYC has announced that it will be meeting with staff on 20th October. The ASU will be preparing a series of questions for members to put to MYC at these meetings.
2. The ASU will be convening a Union meeting with members this Friday 17th October at 1:30pm at Wenty Leagues. The purpose of the meeting will be to:
   Discuss the so called roster “options”
   Agree on some alternative rosters
   Discuss the way forward.
3. Stick together and support one another. Workers will not lose jobs if we have a strong, united voice.

The ASU is planning to then meet with MYC in the week of October 20th to progress discussions.

What We Are Asking the Industrial Commission To Do
The ASU will be lodging a notification with the Industrial Commission to seek the Commission’s assistance to resolve this dispute.  We will inform you of the progress of this at the Union meeting on Friday.

Please continue to speak to your delegates to join the Union, support your colleagues and express your views about the rosters. Alternatively, you may contact ASU organiser, Adrienne Vella on 9310 4000 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it