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Sometimes I don’t have enough time to put “other” news into my weekly Disputes Report. And it’s not because I’m not interested, supportive or madly refreshing tabs on my elderly laptop. One of those “other” news items that hasn’t made it into the report the last few weeks is the proposed merger between two of the Victorian branches of the HSU - HACSU and VAHPA.
Rank and file workers in VAHPA have been pushing for a Special General Meeting for a long time, well before workers heard anything about a merger. And now they have managed to pull off what many thought was impossible. They have successfully jumped through all the bureaucratic hoops and compelled the leadership of the union to hold a Special General Meeting. The meeting is scheduled for Thursday 11 December at 11am at Trades Hall and is an important opportunity for VAHPA members to make their views about the proposed merger known.
Regardless of any general position on the merger, I doubt many (if any!) rank and file workers would be supportive of the complete lack of consultation with members about the merger from VAHPA’s leadership. This Special General Meeting, which is only happening because members made it happen, is where VAHPA members can have their say. It’s also a reminder to all of us that there are ways to make interventions in our unions if we can manage to organise ourselves.
So with 11 days until the SGM how can we support VAHPA rank and file?
Read (and subscribe to) the rank and file newsletter VAHPA Pulse for a blow by blow account of what’s been going on in VAHPA over the last few months
If you know someone who works in Allied Health (think dental technicians; occupational therapists; physios; podiatrists; speech pathologists etc) check if they are a member of VAHPA and if they are, make sure they know about the Special General Meeting and encourage them to get along. If 200 financial members don’t make it to the meeting they won’t meet quorum and the meeting won’t happen. VAHPA is not allowing proxy voting or remote attendance through Zoom or similar, so every member that can be mobilised to attend is vital.
In order to help regional and rural members have their say, VAHPA Pulse is fundraising to assist with travel costs. Please consider donating if you can.
Talk to your union workmates about VAHPA and the Special General Meeting. Check your union rules to see what the provisions for Special General Meetings are in your union. This is a great opportunity for us all to educate ourselves about the options available to us, and to think about what it would take for each of us to organise towards greater democracy in our own unions.
Good luck and solidarity to VAHPA rank and file members! A win for democracy in one union is a win for us all.
