Concerns with the impact of the Equal Remuneration Order (ERO), and changes to the Indexation Policy are increasing with the cumulative impact of the ERO. We continue to hear that programs and services are increasingly being squeezed, with pressure to deliver high-quality, sustainable services that achieve positive outcomes under old contracts, while also meeting the ERO requirements. WACOSS in partnership with CEWA have commissioned two external studies over recent years, to understand and identify the impacts of the ERO.
CEWA and WACOSS is brought the sector together in an advocacy workshop to develop strategies to assist with providing evidence to the government of the impact on services, and to discuss how to renegotiate the terms of contracts. We continue to consult with our members, to understand what further action we can take to develop a more cohesive, compelling and collective advocacy approach.
The following are links to resources that will be shared with sector at advocacy consultations to help organisations renegotiate their contracts.
- Example Budgets and ERO and Award Calculations – coming soon!
- Example letters to:
- Funding & Contracting Advocacy Consultation PowerPoint
- SACS Award Communication July 2017 – June 2020
- SACS Estimated Award and ERO increases to July 2020
- The 2012 Equal Remuneration Order: Sustainability Impacts on Human Services Delivery in Western Australia in June 2017 (WACOSS report)
- ERO Case Study – forecast the impact of the Equal Remuneration Order on salary costs for 12 WA Community Employers – June 2016-June 2021 (WACOSS, CEWA, SalaryOne report)
- Department of Finance, Delivering Community Services in Partnership Policy
- Department of Finance – Funding and Contracting Services – Community Services Procurement Guides:
Advocacy from WACOSS, CEWA, and Shelter WA in the first half of 2019 led to the Department of Communities commissioning SalaryOne to review the impacts of the ERO on 24/7 NHHA (National Housing and Homelessness Agreement) funded services. Following the findings of the report, the State Government agreed to provide ERO supplementation totalling $1.9 million.
- SalaryOne Report – Impact of the Equal Remuneration Order on NAHA funded social housing services
- 2019-20 ERO 24/7 NHHA Supplementation Fact Sheet
Any services that aren’t covered by the supplementary payment are encouraged to meet with your contract manager. To support your case to renegotiate your contract, you can use this Summary of Financial Information template from the Department of Finance.
While we know that 24/7 homelessness services have been some of the hardest hit, there are many services across the sector whose lack of adequate funding has meant a reduction in the services provided and the loss of skilled staff. It is essential, therefore, that the sector continues its advocacy on this issue to ensure sustainable funding is ensured for all services.
We strongly encourage service providers to get in contact, and let us know if you are cutting or reducing services to people within your communities. Together, we need to collect the evidence that the lack of funding for the ERO is hitting hard in communities and essential services are being lost.
On Friday 6 December 2019 WACOSS, in partnership with community services across the state, launched the Your Help WA campaign, to ask the State Government to increase funding to the sector by 20 per cent. Follow, share and like the campaign posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. For more information visit: www.YourHelpWA.com.au
