New Restrictions for Greater Sydney
The Greater Sydney Lockdown has been extended until Saturday, August 28th.
The NSW Government has announced a number of new restrictions for people living in Greater Sydney (this includes the Blue Mountains, Central Coast, Wollongong and Shellharbour).
Greater Sydney residents must limit their exercise and shopping to within 10km from home. Residents must carry a mask with you at all times when you leave your home.
Residents in Canterbury-Bankstown, Fairfield, Liverpool, Cumberland, Blacktown, George's River, Parramatta or Campbelltown Local Government Areas must limit their exercise and shopping to within 5km from home. Residents in these eight LGAs must also wear a mask at all times when you leave your home.
Stay at home rules continue to apply if you live in or usually work in Greater Sydney. You can only leave home if you have a reasonable excuse to do so.
See the relevant NSW Health Order here.
Live in Fairfield, Liverpool, Cumberland, Blacktown, George's River, Parramatta or Campbelltown Local Government Areas?
You must work from home unless it is not reasonably practicable to do so.
You can only leave your LGA to go to work if you are an “authorised worker" - click here to see whether your role is in the NSW Government's list of authorised workers.
Authorised workers include many ASU members. You are an “authorised worker” if you:
- Provide services to people with a disability
- Provide services to vulnerable people
- Provide family violence and sexual assault services
- Work in rail transport including providing support services or are critical safety operational staff
- Work in water services including supply, sewerage, sanitation, drainage.
- Work in airport operations
If you are an authorised worker and are permitted to leave your LGA for work you need to have evidence that you are an authorised worker – we suggest you carry a letter from your employer.
New Restrictions announced on 29 July
If you live in one of these LGAs you need to wear a mask at all times outside your home.
From midnight July 30, all travel (including exercise and shopping) is restricted to 5km. Unless there are exceptional circumstances.
Mandatory surveillance testing is not currently required in these areas.
Live in Canterbury-Bankstown LGA?
You must work from home unless it is not reasonably practicable to do so.
If you cannot work from home, you can only leave your LGA to go to work if you are an “authorised worker" - click here to see whether your role is in the NSW Government's list of authorised workers.
If you are an authorised worker and are permitted to leave your LGA for work you need to:
- From Saturday 31 July, get a COVID-test every 3 days
- Carry proof of your latest COVID-test (this can be a text message from NSW Health)
New Restrictions announced on 29 July
If you live in Canterbury Bankstown you need to wear a mask at all times outside your home.
From midnight July 30, all travel (including exercise and shopping) is restricted to 5km. Unless there are exceptional circumstances.
The Morrison Government has finally relented to pressure on increasing the amount of the COVID-19 disaster payment to a maximum of $750 per week, more than a month into the Sydney lockdown.
From August 2nd, workers will receive $750 per week if they lose 20 hours or more of work while those that lose between 8 and less than 20 hours, or a full day of work, will receive a payment of $450 per week.
The new national payment rate will commence for payments processed week commencing 2 August and will be automatically updated for those already in the Services Australia system.
You do not need to have run down your annual leave to receive the payment.
Find more and apply for payments from Services Australia here.
Also:
- The NSW Government has also increased JobSaver to help business maintain their workforce. Businesses can now receive payments of between $1,500 and $100,000 per week, up from $10,000. They must keep all workers employed to receive this.
- Sole traders remain eligible for a maximum payment of $1,000 per week.
- There is also a moratorium on rental evictions in place until September 11. Residential landlords who decrease rent for impacted tenants can apply for a grant.
- Individuals who currently receive an income support payment will receive a weekly payment of $200, in addition to their existing payment, if they have lost more than 8 hours of work.
Changes to disability day programs
NSW Health has recommended that disability day programs temporarily cease all activities in group settings from 6pm July 27 to August 10.
We have written to NDIS Minister Linda Reynolds. You can read our letter here.
Work in day programs? Let us know here.
Vaccine roll out in the disability sector
In just one week we received over 1,000 responses to our survey about the vaccine in the disability sector.
Here’s what you told us:
The majority of disability workers, over 65%, are on track to be vaccinated. They have either had two jabs, one jab or have an appointment already scheduled.
While only 20% of disability workers are currently fully vaccinated two-thirds of the workforce are ready to get a vaccine today.
Women's Safety Summit
The Federal Government is holding a National Women’s Safety Summit on 6 and 7 September.
We have an opportunity to shape the plan to reduce violence against women and hold this Government to account.
This week over 60 ASU members from frontline women's services attended a briefing to discuss the issues we want at the forefront of the Summit.
It’s time for action, not another talkfest by the Federal Government.
Together, we can drive immediate action and long-term strategies for women including
- introducing universal 10 days paid family and domestic violence leave,
- fully implementing the 55 recommendations in the Respect@Work Report
- ensuring that workplace sexual harassment is a Workplace Health & Safety Issue; and
- securing long-term funding for women’s services across Australia.
New Restrictions: Orange, Blayney, Cabonne
NSW Health has announced new restrictions for everyone living in the Orange City Council, Blayney Shire Council, and Cabonne Shire Council areas.
These new stay-at-home restrictions are in place from today until Wednesday July 28.
Everyone must stay at home unless it is for an essential reason.
The reasons you may leave your home include:
- Shopping for food or other essential goods and services;
- Medical care or compassionate needs (people can leave home to have a COVID-19 vaccination unless you have been identified as a close contact);
- Exercise outdoors in groups of 2 or fewer (unless members of the same household);
- Work, or teritary education, where you cannot work or study from home.
- Schools will remain open, under Level 3 restrictions. All staff and students are still expected to be at school.
- To attend a wedding or a funeral (but only during the grace period, which ends at 12:01am on Friday 23 July 2021). After this date, funerals will be limited to ten people.
- Masks must be worn indoors (not including the home) and in outdoor settings where you cannot socially distance from others (e.g. while queuing for takeaway).
New COVID 19 Support Packages
New COVID Support Package (announced 13 July 2021)
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the Greater Sydney is “more severe, more dangerous and more protracted" (read about the latest NSW restrictions here) and has announced a new disaster payment package with the NSW Government for NSW workers and businesses.
Payments for Workers
From 18 July 2021 the current COVID 19 Disaster Payment of $350 will be increased to $600 per week if you have lost more than 20 hours per week.
If you have lost between 8 and 20 hours you can access a $375 weekly payment.
This will be available to everyone in NSW, not just those in Greater Sydney. You can access the payment online via Services Australia.
Payments to Employers
Businesses, organisations and not-for-profits with an annual turnover of between $75,000 and $50 million who can demonstrate a 30% decline in turnover will receive payments of between $1,500 and $10,000 per week.
To receive the payment employers must maintain their full time, part-time and long term casual staffing level as of 13 July 2021.
Find out more at ServiceNSW.
Payments to Sole Traders
Sole Traders who can demonstrate a 30% decline in turnover can also receive $1,000 per week. Find out more at ServiceNSW.
Mental Health Package
An additional $17.35 million will be provided as part of a mental health package for NSW.
- A boost for crisis and mental health services including for Lifeline, free 24-hour support via Sonder and counselling for perinatal depression and anxiety
- Funding for mental health support for vulnerable and culturally and linguistically diverse communities
- Assistance for young people through headspace, Kids Helpline and the Butterfly Foundation
Renters and homelessness
The NSW Government also announced a moratorium on evictions for 60 days, rebates for landlords to help cover rent reductions, and 4000 temporary accommodation spots for those sleeping rough.
See more from the Prime Minister's Press Release: https://www.pm.gov.au/media/nsw-covid-19-support-package-0
New Restrictions for Greater Sydney
From the ABC
NSW's COVID-19 lockdown restrictions will be tightened after the state recorded 44 new infections — the highest daily number in the latest outbreak.
From 5:00pm Friday July 9 in Greater Sydney, the Blue Mountains, Central Coast, Wollongong and Shellharbour:
- Outdoor public gatherings will be limited to two people (excluding members of the same household);
- People must stay in their Local Government Area or within 10kms of home for exercise and outdoor recreation, with no carpooling between non-household members;
- Browsing in shops is prohibited, plus only one person per household, per day may leave the home for shopping;
- From Sunday, the number of mourners at funerals will be capped at 10.
For more advice stay up to date with the latest at https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/.
Union members can contact the ASU for advice or support at [email protected] or call 0293104000.
Disability Workers: COVID VACCINE Survey
The purpose is for the Australian Services Union to better understand our members' experiences and perspectives on the COVID-19 vaccine rollout. Answer the survey here.
This survey is open to all disability workers - please share it with your colleagues.
No personal or identifiable information will be shared with anyone. Your individual response is strictly confidential.
If you have any questions or concerns about the survey please contact the ASU at [email protected] or call 02 9310 4000.
Take the survey here: www.surveymonkey.com/r/NDIS_VACCINE_WEB
300,000 reasons to join your union
This week disability workers reclaimed $300,000 in unpaid wages.
ASU members at a disability service in the Hunter worked together and won back their entitlements with interest on top.
Already this year the ASU has recovered over $1.1 million in unpaid wages for ASU members in NSW
Joining your union is the best prevention against wage theft. If you're a disability worker - join the disability union, the ASU here.
Not being paid properly?
ASU members can email [email protected], call 0293104000, book a call with an Industrial Officer or organise a workplace visit from the ASU.
Get in touch today. We are by your side.
Sydney Water Threats
Workers at Sydney Water are essential. We have been working through the fires, drought, floods and the pandemic to keep our water safe.
We are currently testing wastewater to help keep one step ahead of COVID. Our work does not stop, and we work around the clock to keep water running at your home.
We are currently negotiating a new Enterprise Agreement at Sydney Water - to make sure we can protect our pay and conditions.
After Premier Berejiklian announced a 2.5% increase to public sector wages, Sydney Water were forced to do an embarrassing backflip after having offered essential workers a dismal 1%.
Since then Sydney Water have been in damage control.
The Australian Services Union has heard extraordinary feedback from members this week about the lengths that Sydney Water is prepared to go to, to sell their unfair Enterprise Agreement proposal.
It's been widely reported that Sydney Water has stated there will be "no backpay" if their EA offer is voted down. It is clear that Sydney Water is desperate to rush through their unfair deal.
The ASU is currently bargaining with Water NSW and Hunter Water and we can confirm that no such threats have been made by these employers. In fact, Water NSW has confirmed that when the pay increase is agreed it will be backdated until 1 July 2021.