Read on for all the latest news across Hunter Water and the wider ASU, including how to save $1000s per year, HW Achievement plans and resources for your workplace.
The ASU is with you every step of the way.
Saving you money every day.
Did you know that ASU members at Hunter Water can now access a wide array of benefits with discounts and savings?
- Accommodation, tours, airline lounges and more travel benefits.
- Discounted dining, popular attractions and movie tickets.
- All your shopping needs including discounted e-gift cards for Woolworths, Coles Dan Murphy’s JB Hi-Fi and more.
- Discounted premiums on health, life and professional insurance policies.
- Financial offers on international money transfers, financial planning and credit cards.
To get started, simply go to asumembers.memberadvantage.com.au then click Sign In and if you're using it for the first time, click Request New Password and enter your email address.
An email with your password will be sent to you. Follow the instructions on that email and you’ll have access to Member Advantage.
If you have any questions or issues accessing Member Advantage, email [email protected] or call ASU NSW & ACT Member Advantage on 1300 853 352 directly.
Achievement plans
Yet again the thorny issue of achievement plans has come up.
As members are aware this has been a controversial issue for many years now. Once again, we have seen ASU members given a rating where there has been no discussions with their managers, no feedback and no plan.
Our members affected are understandably concerned and upset that they have been advised that they are not up to standard. The matter has been raised with People and Culture and is being investigated. We will be in touch as soon as we have an update about this important issue.
Rally for climate action
The Australian Services Union is proud to support the school strikers’ Global #ClimateStrike on September 20 and the young leaders who are demanding real and immediate action on climate change.
In Sydney, we’ll be meeting at 11:30am at the Archibald Fountain in Hyde Park.
Gosford: Gosford Leagues Club at 12pm
Newcastle: Civic Park 12pm
Bullying and Harassment in the workplace
In our last newsletter, we gave employees the opportunity to complete a workplace bullying survey.
Everyone at Hunter Water has a work health and safety duty and can help to prevent workplace bullying.
Employers need to take Workplace Bullying seriously. The ASU certainly does.
We want to hear from you if you have experienced workplace bullying. We would appreciate your time to fill out the survey that will form the evidence to establish how prevalent Workplace Bullying is in Hunter Water. As a Union we hope to achieve a better workplace culture collectively that as individuals we can’t achieve alone.
Need to talk to someone?
Have a question about work? Don't forget that every member can call the ASU on 02 9310 4000 for assistance.
This year our expert team have supported 4517 members who have called for assistance and recovered over $750,000 in unpaid wages and entitlements for ASU members. We have also saved over 350 individual jobs.
Filling of positions in Civil Maintenance
ASU delegates raised concerns at the Hunter Water Consultative Committee around the process for the hiring of new crew leader positions in civil maintenance. Delegates were concerned that discussions which took place during EBA talks were not reflected when employees underwent recruitment for the new positions.
It is the ASU position that our members should be given priority over external applicants and especially where positions that our members currently fill will not exist in a few years.
It is also the position of our members that everyone is entitled to be given development opportunities to allow them to progress when promotional opportunities occur.
Customer service dispute
Front desk staff
Members in Customer Service raised a dispute around lack of consultation about change of working practices in August. HWC were reminded that a proper process of consultation is in our Enterprise Agreement as are rostering practices (7 days’ notice of a roster change for example).
Our members were concerned about the short time frame and ad hoc nature of the consultation and had several concerns about staffing levels, employee duties and meal breaks.
These were raised formally with the Line Manager, HR and with delegates in attendance. While several issues were addressed staff are still uneasy about the changes and will be meeting again with the ASU in late September to discuss the progress and impact of the changes.
25% PAY RISE FOR CASUALS
ASU WIN IN THE COMMUNITY SECTOR
Unions have won a 25% pay rise for casuals working Saturday, Sundays, Public Holidays and overtime in the community sector.
The ASU has been calling for this since the Award changed 9 years ago.
The Fair Work Commission's recent decision means that casuals in the community and disability must be paid their 25% casual loading in addition to overtime time and weekend penalty rates.
Weekends are important - it's when most people get time away from work to spend with friends and families. The Fair Work Commission's decision recognises that casual workers have friends and families too.
Unions won the weekend, and we will always strive for fair weekend and overtime rates.
Veolia Log of Claims
Bargaining for a Maintenance EBA
Discussions have begun for members in Veolia Maintenance (Electricians and Fitters). The ETU and AMWU also have members in this area and while it is a small group of employees there are concerns that issues such as on-call are below award and need to be looked at. The combined unions have provided their log of claims to Veolia and a series of meetings are planned for the next few weeks.
Get Involved
It is important that the ASU has workplace representatives across the organisation. Under our Enterprise Agreements delegates can have paid days off to attend delegate training and conferences. We have always had strong delegates out in the field and in head office but look around your workplace and ask yourself who would ensure your voice is heard. It could be you.
Contact ASU Organiser Peter Macphee at [email protected] for more information about how to become a delegate.
Advancing your career
Since launching our online training and development portal ASU Career Launchpad early in 2019, thousands of members participate in live and on-demand courses. All the courses are run by experts in the field: sign up for a live session so you can ask questions, or watch back any of the courses at any time, on-demand.
Some of our most popular courses are:
- Become an Excel Expert
- 4 Easy steps to take control of your Super
- Boost your skills: Working with Difficult People
Go to Activate your Account and use the email that is connected to your ASU membership to get started.
Brought to you by union members
Why not remind your coworkers of all the great wins we've had over the years with our Brought to you by Union Members Poster!
Members can access all the fact sheets and workplace posters on the Resources section of our website.