At that meeting, Aruma management was pushing to put the draft Enterprise Agreement (EA) out to employees for a vote, or to seek the assistance of the Fair Work Commission (FWC) to progress bargaining.

At the previous bargaining meeting, Aruma flagged two proposals adjusting Sleepovers and Shift penalties downwards, but with an above the Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Industry Award (SCHaDS Award) component.

The CPSU NSW requested Aruma provide information in writing on these offers to the bargaining representatives so that CPSU NSW can fairly gauge exactly what is being proposed to enable consultation with our members to commence. Aruma instead confirmed that those proposals are now off the table.

“It is a race to the bottom over three years to the SCHaDS Award,” said General Secretary Stewart Little. “Aruma Disability Services continues to cry poor when it comes to improving the wages and conditions of our members.”

With Aruma’s budget issues continuing, existing staff, it was proposed, would be grandparented and future staff would revert to the bare basics of the SCHaDS Award when commencing work.

“In consultation with members, it was made clear to CPSU NSW that our membership would not countenance the sell-out of the next generation of disability sector workers,” said Mr Little. “After all, for the better part of five years, due to grandparenting arrangements, members have been on a wage freeze.

“Aruma management expects CPSU NSW members who are Disability Support Workers to accept further cuts to their take-home pay. We’ve heard of potential $1000 pay cuts from members on the bargaining team.”

Aruma management bargaining representatives are now raising the issue of the prolonged length of time that bargaining has been taking. The management line is that while the present EA is in force, Aruma’s budget continues to bleed out.

However, CPSU NSW bargaining representatives have been available to resume bargaining. Aruma management self-imposed a five-month hiatus over the Christmas period to cobble together a completely new draft agreement (version 7) for the first bargaining meeting in April 2025. Coupled with the delay in Aruma supplying requested information, CPSU NSW disagrees that the union is responsible for any delay in reaching a new EA.

Aruma is now seeking the support of the FWC to assist in bargaining. The CPSU NSW has never opposed the assistance of the FWC or any other independent arbiter to help resolve a stalemate, dispute, or other industrial issue.