The first stage of the Queensland Services Union’s application for a new State Award was completed Friday, 19 September 2008, when the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission (QIRC) approved the Queensland Community Services and Crisis Assistance Award State (QCSCA Award). The new Award will take effect from November 3.

However, there is still work to be done...

Your support is needed
To ensure the QIRC and Funding Bodies recognise the need for fair wages and conditions Join the Union and Attend this Pay Equity Rally on November 10 in Brisbane.

First, interim wages reflecting the current rates of pay have been inserted into the QCSCA Award. These do not provide any significant increases to rates of pay. The Union is seeking new wage rates based on pay equity principles and comparisons with similar work being performed in comparable industries and sector. Their application will be heard by the QLD Industrial Relations Commission (QIRC) in November.

Second, the new QCSCA award will only apply to a relatively small number of organisations:

1. that are award free (ie; not listed as a respondent to either the SACS (Qld) or CASH (Qld) Federal awards); and,
2. that are not a constitutional trading corporation; and,
3. whose employees engage in work covered by the definitions of the SACS (Qld) and CASH (Qld) Federal awards.

YANQ suggests that employees and organisations who wish to move to this award seek advice from the Queensland Services Union and/or employer bodies such as Jobs Australia or the Australian Community Services Employer's Association.  Nevertheless, YANQ's understanding is that organisations who wish to move to the new Award have two main choices:

1. Make a new workplace agreement now which uses the new Award as its basis.  For example, this is the strategy being pursued by organisations seeking to establish the Youth Services Multi-employer agreement.
2. Wait until March 2011 when the SACS (Qld) or CASH (Qld) Federal awards expire and move to the new State Award then;

For more information read this update from the Queensland Services Union - http://www.asuqld.asn.au/pdfs08/20080924sacsaward.pdf.

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