DSPL - Big profits but still nibbling away

Big profits but still nibbbling away

DSPL are one of those companies that've gone from strength to strength during the pandemic, with profits at an all-time high and likely to continue into the future. Despite these increases in wealth, DSPL and other large organisations want to maximise shareholder profits even more by nibbling away at workers' conditions.

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2022 NEGOTIATIONS for the state-wide Diagnostic Services agreement got off to a shaky start.

After a couple of fruitless meetings, DSPL tried to blindside staff by putting the agreement out to vote before any mutual positions had been reached with HACSU. We ran a ‘vote no’ campaign and staff did just that, angered by their employer's antics, which forced DSPL back to the discussion table. The situation as of July 2022:

Paid meal breaks

Because meal breaks are paid, staff must be onsite and available for duties, so the break is included as time worked. This is standard practice but DSPL want to complicate this simple concept which will mean a reduction to current conditions. They propose meal breaks remain paid but, unless the whole of a break is physically worked, it won't reflect time accrued at work. So if you had to complete duties for 15 minutes during your meal break on an 8 hour shift, this will only reflect 7.5 hours worked. This ridiculous premise would snowball onto other entitlements such as leave accumulation, wages and the number of days at work to accrue the same hours of work. There'd inevitably be disagreements over whether a break was worked or not and proof around this. To try and manipulate a simple process such as this highlights the lengths being taken to penny pinch any dollars where they can. We've put DSPL on notice that any variation to current arrangements will be met with strong opposition.

Annual leave

The annual leave calculation for shift workers has had variations from DSPL's original proposal in terms of required weekend shifts, but it still has perimeters. Their proposal was more palatable regarding required weekend shifts but it wasn't clear about staff who work nights but not weekends. We've asked for more info and asked them to identify every individual who'll be worse off.

Travel

Travel payments and when they are and aren't paid is an ongoing discussion. We have scenarios regarding distances, times and locations that we must ensure will be covered in the drafting of the clause and wording is being exchanged on this.

Compassionate/bereavement leave

We proposed an increase in compassionate/bereavement leave, but DSPL want these as individual entitlements in the agreement with parameters around availability periods. Several legitimate scenarios were put forward to show where their proposed arrangements wouldn't work, leaving DSPL with no option but to review their proposal.

Redundancy

DSPL proposed a cap on redundancy payments but a number of longterm staff would be disadvantaged by this, particularly those who were employed before April 2008. DSPL have always maintained redundancies aren't being considered, so it curious why there's any need for change. We've only had concerningly vague answers to this question, and we've said HACSU will not support a cap.

Term of agreement

Discussions around the term of the next agreement are ongoing. Members want a 3 year agreement but DSPL are pushing for 4 or more. With drastic increases in living costs, getting locked in to anything longer than 3 years would be a gamble that would likely see the gap between inflation and wages further increase. We've reiterated that a 3 year agreement is the most practicable