Earn:
1. To gain especially for the performance of service, labour, or work: earned money by mowing lawns.
2. To acquire or deserve as a result of effort or action: She earned a reputation as a hard worker.
3. To yield as return or profit: a savings account that earns interest on deposited funds.
The fertiliser and the air conditioning are about to meet in relation to the rights of people with disability and the wages they receive when employed in Australian Disability Enterprises (used to be called Business Services before that Sheltered Workshops and before that Activity Centres).
I’m testing my memory but it was about 10 years ago (might be a bit more) that the present system was brought in – a system that required workers to undertake one of a series of available productivity measuring tests and these tests then used to determine wages paid.
There were/are a range of options and service providers get to choose. In previous years many chose a tool called BSWAT – Business Services Wage Assessment Tool.
This is only my memory but at this time there was a lot of discussion between service providers about the need to get a reliable tool and also about the fact that such a tool, if used properly would cause significant financial problems for services as there simply wasn’t sufficient income to pay ‘honestly’ – there’s no suggestion of dishonesty here, simply a belief among some that ruin would follow productivity based wages as there wasn’t enough income and the only way such could be generated would be to unemploy the most needy service users in favour of the most productive.
Don’t buy that – didn’t buy it then, and don’t buy it now – if a person earns a dollar that that’s what he should be paid and not a cent less – he or she earned it.
Believing this to be the case NOVA used a thing called the Supported Wage System (SWS) assessment for workers in our multi award winning Café 64 at Walgett.
And we have lost money ever since!
However, NOVA is a registered charity and we make lots of money from other stuff – the truth is that work isn’t that thick on the ground in Walgett (pop 2200) its drought stricken and has some real socio-economic issues.
Café workers earn (this is a very important word) more than 3 times the average pay for people in sheltered workshops – they earn that money and it’s our job to pay them – if we paid less we’d be borrowing or stealing.
The recent Supreme Court decision means all similar businesses must now pay honest wages – I say honest because I believe that many knew the BSWAT threw up dodgy measurements – and simply gave a nod to honesty while justifying their use of this flawed tool with a ‘what else can we do, they’d all be on the streets if we didn’t’ line that sometimes seems to play well but conceals the truth that many other service providers got on and did the right thing by their clients (about 50%).
While many complained about how unfair and unjust the world is, decent programs made the adjustments and got on with improving conditions and productivity so they could afford to pay honestly.
NOVA workers earn 3 times the National average – I would contend the rest earn a whole lot more too – they are just denied.
Why are they denied?
Because they have a disability (generally an intellectual disability) and because those assigned to care for them can get away with short changing them.
You wouldn’t wear it. I wouldn’t wear it and those folk slaving away for $50 a week shouldn’t have to wear it either.
They deserve better and they deserve better from people like us – it isn’t good enough to make them wait 3 years, it isn’t good enough to make them wait 1 year - I don’t give a tuppeny for the nonsense about not being able to afford to pay people what they have earned – take a look at the definition of earn at the start of this piece – it’s theirs – give it to ‘em
Imagine what would happen if the rights of someone powerful and important were trampled if the response they received from our leaders was, ‘well get to it in a couple of years’!
Employment First – Coming Soon!
Would you like a face-to-face meeting with Martin via Skype? Click the button below to make an appointment
Subscribe to this Blog - blog.novaemployment.com.au Copy the link above and paste it into your favourite Reader to subscribe to an RSS feed of this blog. To watch a short video explanation of RSS and how it helps you save time reading the web click here
Your Comments There are currently no comments on this article
Previous Posts
Fair Warning
I'm giving fair warning of my intention to expose examples of the current DES-ESS contract's exploitation.
I have written to the Commonwealth expressing my concerns about clear manipulation of the present contract....
Fundamentals
The new contract for Disability Employment Services (DES) will not bring performance improvement.
Government will scratch it's head, blame the economy, blame people with disability, talk about educating employers and spend money on consultations before coming to the conclusion that people with disability must meet more stringent 'mutual obligations'....
100%
Each year, around about the International Day of People with a Disability (IDPwD) NOVA Employment holds a formal graduation for students that have participated in our pre-employment programs....
Profiting from poverty
Profiting from Poverty
I am genuinely horrified by this disaster: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/jul/02/the-demerit-system-is-ruthless-social-policy-designed-to-keep-the-poor-powerless
I believe that we presently represent the job hopes of around 1500 people, in various stages of their progression to independent employment....
New Contract but no change!
New Contract but no change!
Today marks the first day of a new Disability Employment Service (DES) contract.
There are new players and new rules....
Administrative Overload
'It's nice to be busy' and 'busy is better than idle' and all of my mum's other sayings about work being good for you, and all of them said; we're drowning!
The administrative burden of a new Disability Employment Service contract (starts July 1st) and the mountains of paperwork required for an NDIS dollar (approximately 10X that of the former TTW program) has seen us add 3 extra staff to the admin team and we are still receiving a large volume of enquiries that are causing us some time delay in getting back to folk....
Podcasts I've been learning all about Podcasts (I suspect that this may be a long road!)
However, getting paid to be inspired is not the worst way to spend a Monday afternoon and that is just how my day has gone....
Lucky Lucky
I am truly fortunate to work with the very best people in this great nation and we are truly lucky to be part of the best short film festival this side of anywhere!
"Focusonability" voting starts today and there is an even larger number of films (287) than last year....
On the money Sometime over the next week a new Disability Employment Service contract will be announced.
We are moving into a new world of greater consumer choice and greater mobility of job seekers....
Making a tough job tougher!
Making a tough job tougher
It isnt easy to get a decent job and its harder to do so if you have a disability.
NOVA employs around 190 people, an effective and experienced team who are able to draw upon a staff of highly skilled trainers and a support program honed over almost 30 years and tens of thousands of participants....
Your Work There was never any doubt in my mind that I would work. My dad told me I would work and there wasn't ever a suggestion that my future held an alternative option....
Not so bad! Taken from: Today's Guardian at 4.09pm Tuesday 7th November 2017:
www.theguardian.com/global-development-professionals-network/2016/jun/23/russia-and-the-us-have-the-worst-employment-gaps-for-disabled-people
In a world full of discouragement there’s always a space for good news....
Informed Choice
The NDIS mantra is 'choice and control'
To be valuable, choice needs to be informed.
Since 2010:
Average Sydney Disability Employment Services placement rates are 34....
Hard Job
It's voting time at "Focusonability" - with a record number of films entered, a tremendous effort by more than 100 High Schools and 19 countries competing in the International section it was always going to be a hard job to pick a winner....
Choice & Control
The NDIS slogans around choice and control demonstrate the importance of consumer involvement in both the choice and control of supports they need.
However, in order to be valuable, choice needs to be informed by accurate data such is this: http://www....
Belfast
Last week (14-16) it was my privilege to attend the 1st World Supported Employment Conference in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
"Employment for All - A Global Perspective" brought workers from around the globe (primarily Europe) to discuss best practice in supported employment....
Quality and the Stars Quality and the Stars
There have probably been few people more openly critical of the Disability Employment Service (DES) Star Ratings than me.
The Stars, ranging from 1 to 5 are supposed to give some insight into whether a service is a poor or high performing program....
DEA Forum
Attended the Disability Employment Australia (DEA) forum in Canberra. THis is a regular get together that offers disability employment services tha chance to be kept up to date from our funding body and also listed to expert speakers on topics associated with the goal of seeing as many people as possible find and keep suitable employment....
Greatest Asset
NOVAs greatest asset is its staff. I suspect you would struggle to find the CEO of any organisation state their staff are not vital and at the core of business reputation and results....
A corner turned?
We are presently holding events to promote employment for people with disability - nor surprise there, that's our job.
What has been a surprise is the willingness of employers to come along and listen and more importantly, to consider adopting inclusive employment practices across their organisations....
Subscribe to this Blog