In April 2007, the Howard Government used its Senate majority to drastically reduce workers' compensation arrangements for public sector workers.
Among many other changes, the Government removed workers' compensation cover for public servants who are injured while travelling to or from home to work.
As this part of the CPSU's campaign against the Howard Government's changes, the CPSU has decided to introduce its own 'income maintenance insurance' for union members. The idea is to provide a 'safety net' while the campaign for a better deal continues.
To read more, click here.
What do you think about CPSU providing journey cover insurance to its members? Have your say below?
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56 comments:
Thank you and well done.
Fingers crossed for change of government and possibly a change of legislation to this debacle under the labor goverment if elected.
This is really great news - while I have plenty of sick leave I am sure those who do not will really appreciate this Union initiative.
Well done, CPSU!
Hopefully no one will have to claim on this policy but as a C/W public servant who cycles to and from work it is reassuring to know if I ran out of sick leave I would still have income.
Best wishes
Well done, it is this kind of feature that will hopefully encourage people to become union members.
Fantastic news. Thank you Stephen and the CPSU team for providing this stop-gap measure for your members!
Stephen, I think this is fantastic. It is proactive and provides a distinct advantage for union members. This really makes me happy paying my union fees and I hope it encourages others to do the same.
thank you
Awesome! I appreciate the CPSU organising this for us. Well done!
For a person who in an earlier life served on the Qld branch of The Commonwealth Bank Officers' Association this is great news. People who denigrate unions conveniently fail to mention the innumerable benefits they gain/provide for members. Cheers
Thank you very much for organising this insurance that was unfairly removed from the present Government. I have sent my letter of protest which I hope will help politicians to reinstate this much needed cover.
Thanks CPSU for your work in organising this alternative insurance arrangement and for your work on the campaign!
This is a most welcome addition to union benefits
It's great that the union is doing this, but even though I am a financial member I am not covered by this insurance as I make a deviation both to and from work to take my children to and from school. I'm sure there must be thousands of other members that would not be covered because of this. Surely this could be included as a deviation, particularly when it is usually just a trip within the local region before then heading to work.
Congratulations by the way on a very good initiative. This is issue is of concern to numerous colleagues I have spoken to since these changes were pushed in, and this provides another tangible benefit of membership.
Hi Stephen,
A brilliant move, thank you and the CPSU.
Fantastic, Practical, Action by the Union - great to see.
Why not publicise the unilateral removeal of rights and the Union actions to non-members.
although I have a large sick leave balance (and hopefully will not be in a position to use the insurance) I would like to offer my congratulations on the initiative shown by the Union for looking after their members in this way.
Acquiring this insurance has been excellent work by the CPSU. It certainly will ensure the avoidance of a lot of pain which would otherwise be caused by loss of income during an extended time of incapacitation after an injury.
Without reading all the details even limited cover is better then no cover
and the fact that it is provided by the Union is good news.
At least there is something I might be able to axcess if I am injured on the way to work.
Keep up the good work.
This is great news
My partners union (PSA group, SA public service) did the same thing when the Libs pulled the same scam with them
Hopefully this will result in more members
Thank you Stephen. This is the best piece of action taken by the CPSU for many months.
Why does the Union want to change the travel to work laws? Surely this insurance idea gives CPSU members the coverage they need. I dont want to fund campaigns to give non-members the same conditions as I have - blow them.
If you want my ongoing support look to differentiate what union members have from what non-members have.
This initiative is good but lets move on from the past. If you change the laws for all the Union becomes irrelevent.
Stephen
Thank you for your e-mail - this is a great stop gap until things change!
Dear Sir,
I have been a member of the Union for a long time in all its guises over the last 24 years.
This is the first time I have felt compelled to make a comment.
A big "congratulations" to the Union and Union rank and file on this one.
I am not making this comment because the Union has done something special specifically for me, but rather that they have done something that for the first time shows non Union members that it "pays to belong"!
I would like to think that this is the start of the Union foray into other 'commercial' associations that will bring benefits for members and potentially MORE members as the word gets around that the Union is more than just a platform to maintain conditions and get pay rises. Hopefully this "smarter Union" will take advantage of the new potential alignments with commercial bodies to make the Union more effective and relevant to the 21st Century working family.
Bravo brava
good onya, that's a worthwhile achievement
A lot of work of the union is focussed on making sure we have good conditions into the future. These is good and proper.
We also need things that address the problems right now.
It would have been easy to criticise the government and done nothing. It is far better to criticies them, provide protection for members now, and work to get bad decisions reversed.
Thanks for doing this
What a fantastic achievement! I send a great big THANK YOU to the CPSU for securing this insurance coverage for me and my fellow CPSU members. I really appreciate that you have taken the initiative to protect these rights through independent means; that is, rights that have been taken away by our Federal Government.
I hope that Australian public servants who are currently not members of the CPSU will see this as a further incentive to join up.
This is a fantastic interim service for members and I hope that the CPSU campaign is succesful. I will certainly be promoting this to people that I know are not members.
Fabulous - thank you so much for taking this on - both the interim cover and the ongoing battle for decent legislation. Much appreciated. Hopefully with an election looming there will be opportunities.....
that is fabulous - a few of my work colleagues & I were discussing this type of option a few months ago. Good on the union for the taking the initiative - pity it has to happen tho
Congratulations on stepping in to fill a real need for those few workers who suffer injury on their journey to work. Another benefit that union membership brings.
I think this is a great idea, and fantastic that you have been able to implement it too!
Thank you very much.
It makes joining the union even more worthwhile - another tangible, practical benefit.
Very smart - great initiative - thanks!
Thank you, thank you, thank you!
I would like to say thanks heaps for this information and also for the union for considering covering it's members.
Thank you Union.
This is the first time in ages that I have seen the union actually do something outside of Agency Agreements.
You have reinstated my faith in what the union stands for.
Thanks again!
A good move. Unions setting good humane standards for working people.
This is a really great service. One of the best things the union has done.
While I have heaps and heaps of sick leave I could still find myself needing this and it would avoid the need to take it on half pay.
I also notice that there is an on death benefit which would be great for my dependant to cover my costs and have something left over as compensation for the money I wouldn't earn.
I find it breathtaking to think that no industrial action has been taken on this issue. This is an essential work condition which is mandatory for all employees nationally. What does the CPSU propose to do in addition to providing Journey Insurance?
This is really great news - while I have plenty of sick leave I am sure those who do not will really appreciate this Union initiative.
Great Idea, Very Proactive, Well Done!
Good to hear about insurance cover for 12 months. The cover is appreciated as a backup to sick days.
Hi
I just wanted to say that I think this is a great initiative and something that members really appreciate. Many of my colleagues (members and non
members) have been very concerned about the change and feel betrayed by the government especially as it was done in such a serreptitious manner.
I think actions like this taken by the union will do a lot to increase membership. I have already spoken to non members in my workplace and told them about this development and they are considering taking out membership.
does this also apply to our federal members - if so who keeps a check on them to make sure they do not get paid
Comcare does not recognise staff trvelling to and from
work and during luncbreaks as employees.
If staff wear uniform, should they not travel as
"civilians" to work and change into uniform at work
and should not the organisation provide facilities in
the workplace for staff to do this?
This might sound trivial, but I (along with probably
most CPSU members ) was absolutely outraged when the
government enacted this new legislation denying
Comcare coverage outside the workplace.
thanks for taking this on. Some people who are sitting on the fence may well jump over to the union side. Well done.
This is a fantastic interim service for members and I hope that the CPSU campaign is succesful. I will certainly be promoting this to people that I know are not members.
While I applaud such a great initiative from the CPSU, I am very concerned about the fact that benefits are paid MONTHLY IN ARREARS. This means that the first payment one could expect would be 6 weeks after the injury - a very long time to be without income when you have a mortgage, etc.
Might I just say how impressed I am you you have taken this action. It shows what being a union member is all about, helping each other in time of need.
This excellent service provided by the CPSU once again shows that the union movement is still very relevent in the workplace. As someone who cycles to work on busy Melbourne roads, I am greatly relieved that the CPSU has provided me with some protection. Spread the word!!!
That's great that you have arranged for this service, at no cost for those who most need it is even better.
Not so important for those of us who have accrued a lot of sick leave, but nice to know it's there.
Bravo! An important and welcome initiative. Thank you!
I was really impressed with this initiative. It feels so much like "sending 'round the hat to help a comrade in need."
Great work!
This is a good initiative by the union. Obviously the Howard govt anti-worker policies should be reversed, but this is very important in the interim...
I think this is a great, step forward for the union
I have tried several times, to get friends and family join the union. Because they all recieve the same rights as union members
This is the first condition that have been provided exclusivly, for union members and will encourage union membership
That's brilliant news, thank you. It certainly pays to be in a union!
Julius Timmerman
Well I guess a lot of workmates whose principles won't allow them to join a union are re-evaluating their position right now. WELL DONE!
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