HP Straw-Poll Results - Moving to the next stage!

What a week! Thousands of you voted and asked questions about the revised offer.

Thank you to everyone who participated in the 'straw-poll' process last week and had your say about the revised offer from the government.

Over 70% of members who voted in the poll voted to progress to the next stage of the bargaining process.

Given this response Steering Committee representatives will now indicate to the government that HPs are now ready to move the negotiations to the next phase and move on to the legal drafting stage in January 2011.

Following drafting there will then be a further formal ballot process for all members in the new year when members have the full and detailed settlement terms to consider.

This will allow a closer examination of the clauses by all members before a final vote.

Following several days of intense negotiations after your 1 December strike, involving several offers and counter offers, the revised offer of 3% per year, for 3 years, with no cut-backs or trade-offs was only achieved due to the huge effort by HPs and the commitment by every group within each discipline. The government was also forced to shift on employment security and other important issues.

The offer, while it didn't go all the way to meeting many of our claims, was a significant step forward and a clear majority of members thought it best to move to the next stage of bargaining and therefore see more of the detail of the offer.

A huge vote of thanks is due to the delegates from the HP Steering Committee and local delegates who undertook negotiations and communicated results to members and got the poll results back for tallying today.

The result of the poll will be communicated to government today and then drafting can commence in January. Delegates will be involved in that process and HP members will be updated throughout this process.

Once drafting is completed all members will then have an opportunity to again consider the more detailed settlement terms and vote in a formal ballot next year on the drafted agreement. Following that, if in that ballot a majority of members support the agreement, it will be certified and then pay-rises, back-dated to 1 September 2010 will be paid to HP members.

If you have any questions about the HP agreement email hp@qpsu.org.au.

Congratulations to all HP members and supporters for the amazing effort put in during this campaign to date - as the first group to face this aggressive 2.5% and cuts bargaining strategy from the government, coming out with 3% per year, no cuts or trade-offs, commitments to address employment security and other issues like ensuring there are treatment rooms for social workers. To see the full offer and updates go to: www.hpstrongertogether.com.

We will be in touch early in the new year with more information and next steps.

Given this response work-bans will remain suspended in to the New Year while drafting is completed. If you have any questions about work bans contact your delegate or email hp@qpsu.org.au.

PS: We know many of you will be working over this Christmas and New Year period - thank you for your efforts over the festive season, and we hope you have some relaxation and celebration time with friends and families in the New Year as well!