We are the Union for workers in the disability sector. 

Our members ensure that ours is a civil society, where we protect the vulnerable, where everyone can participate in and be part of our community. We are advocates, support workers, case workers, carers, trainers, coordinators, counsellors, and administrative support. 

We work across NSW and the ACT in small services, to large organisation like House With No Steps, St Vincent de Paul, Lifestyle Solutions, LiveBetter, Flourish and Life Without Barriers.

Di has worked as a disability support worker in Care West’s Orange day program for 4 years supporting people with disabilities to access their community and participate in living skills programs.

Di has always been a union member no matter which sector she has worked in. Di developed an awareness of the importance of WH&S while a member of the AMWU and has brought that passion and knowledge into her role as an ASU delegate.

Do you rely on penalty rates in your role?

There has been a lot of media attention on how the removal of penalty rates would affect hospitality workers on weekends, but what about the disability sector shift workers rostered on 24 hours, 7 days per week for accommodation and respite services?

The shift allowances set by our award ensure that workers who are rostered late, through the night and on weekends receive some remuneration for these hours. 

I work in the disability sector and love working in this industry because I care about people.

I don’t believe that just anyone can do this job; you have to have a passion for it and want to make a difference in people’s lives.

It can be demanding at times but with this comes a sense of satisfaction and it is rewarding.

If you work in the Hunter/New England region, Western Sydney, North Sydney, South Western Sydney, Southern NSW or on the Central Coast you have just months to get prepared for the live NDIS roll out in July 2016!

Non government disability organisations in the ACT and Nepean/Blue Mountains have already commenced the transition to the scheme. Eligible people with a disability have been invited to their planning and commencement of the scheme according to their age groups, with total engagement scheduled for the end of 2016. 

Make sure you have all the information so you can be a part of the change and ensure the NDIS is the best it can be- invite us to your next meeting to learn more...

If your conditions are set by the modern award for our industry (the SCHADS Award) you are entitled to double time and a half for all hours worked on a public holiday.

That means double time and a half for:

• Friday December 25^th Christmas Day – Public Holiday
• Saturday December 26^th Boxing Day – Public Holiday
• Monday December 28^th - Additional public holiday as Boxing Day falls on a Saturday
• Friday January 1^st New Year’s Day – Public Holiday 

What if you're a casual? Do these rates apply to you? 

Yes! If you are a casual working over the Christmas period on these public holidays you should receive double time and a half on the base hourly rate and your casual loading of 25%. 

Here's the link to your new pay rates!

ASU members campaigned together to win pay rises for every single worker in the sector. We marched in the streets, danced in front of Parliament House, signed petitions, met with local MPs and did everything we could that would ensure our work was fairly recognised and valued.

The Fair Work Commission found that the work we do in the community sector was undervalued and underpaid. ASU members won pay rises of between 23% and 45%.

This is a once in a generation victory which means that every December 1 until 2020 is an ASU won Equal Pay Day.

How you can celebrate?

Across NSW and the ACT, workers are today celebrating Equal Pay Day. Members have made Equal Pay cupcakes, and some workplaces are remembering the historic campaign by watching this video at their next team meeting.

The best way to celebrate is to make sure your colleagues know that these pay rises were fought for and won by ASU members. Joining the union is the best way to ensure that we are respected at work and paid a decent, fair wage. There's so much more to do in this sector, and we need everyone to put their hand up and say "I'm in".

So, this week - when you check your next pay slip, take time to ask your colleagues to consider being part of the Equal Pay Union, the Australian Services Union. Ask them to join online here.

Being part of the union that won Equal Pay for Community and Disability Workers is one of the many things that make us ASU PROUD.

What are the new rates?

You can find out what the union won pay rates are by clicking here. This is a resource for union members only.

Along with valuable information such as pay rates, union members receive many member only benefits - such as:

• free journey insurance
• free professional indemnity insurance
• access to our Member Assistance Hotline
• free membership to our sector's professional body
• the Australian College of Community and Disability Practitioners 
• and of course, protection at work.

Together our voices are louder. 

We recently held the inaugural Edna Ryan training day for ASU members who are women under 30. Edna Ryan was an equal-pay warrior of her time, and the Edna Ryan foundation has partnered with the ASU to support young women to get involved in their union. 

Many ASU members work in services supporting women and children leaving domestic violence or many have experienced domestic violence themselves. The recent announcements by the Federal and State Governments to increase funding to prevent domestic violence have been welcome by many members and the ASU.