EmailHospital Circular 38/2004
Date Issued: 13 December 2004
Distribution: Chief Executive Officers; Chief Finance Officers; HR Directors
Enquiries: Industrial Relations Branch Tel (03) 9616 2583
Subject: Funding and Payment of 2004 Mental Health Services EBA
In May of this year, the Victorian Hospitals’ Industrial Association (VHIA), on behalf of its members, and the Department reached an “in-principle” settlement of the Australian Nursing Federation’s and the Health Services Union of Australia Victoria No.2 Branch’s 2004 Mental Health Services Enterprise Bargaining Claims. Since that time, the parties have been working towards drafting an enterprise bargaining agreement (EBA) capable of being certified in the Australian Industrial Relations Commission (AIRC), encapsulating the matters settled in principle in May.
The Department had already made various adjustments to health services budgets from 1 July 2004 relating to the mental health EBA. Further adjustments have been made since that time to finalise central funding for the implementation of the mental health settlement.
Recently, the parties reached agreement on a draft of the proposed new multi-employer agreement for mental health staff. This draft agreement was put to a ballot of affected employees who have supported the proposed agreement. On this basis, an application to certify the proposed new agreement was lodged with the AIRC on 10 December 2004 (see VHIA Bulletin No. 902).
Given that the new agreement is now before the AIRC for certification it is appropriate that mental health staff now be paid the salary increases and other conditions and benefits contained therein.
Therefore, Health Services are advised that payment of the salary increases and other new benefits agreed in May should be passed on to all affected mental health staff in the next available pay period, with arrears being calculated and paid as soon possible after that.
Please note that the advice in this circular authorising payment of recent EBA settlement outcomes pertains only to the Mental Health Services EBA and only to direct-care staff employed by Respondents named in the proposed new multi-employer agreement.
Lance Wallace
Executive Director
Financial and Corporate Services
