IHC Workers Take Action Over Wage Freeze

IHC Front Line Workers Take Action Over Wage Freeze

Over 3000 community support workers employed by intellectual disability provider IHC are stepping up their action to get a wage increase.

The Service and Food Workers Union has been negotiating with IHC since last October. The Union is seeking a 2% pay increase and IHC is offering a 12 month pay freeze.

From next Monday (29 March) the workers will add to their bans on overtime, on non-essential paper work and on driving their own personal vehicles on IHC business by implementing a 24-hour ban on "sleepovers".

The sleepover ban will mean that the workers will leave their workplaces (group homes housing up to 5 people with intellectual disabilities) from 10pm on Monday until 7am the next morning.

Service and Food Workers Union National Secretary John Ryall said that the 24 hour ban on sleepovers was not done lightly, but after 5 months of negotiating it was an attempt to bring IHC to its senses in realising that the welfare of its front line staff was critical to the support provided for its intellectually disabled clients.

"IHC have received a 2% Ministry of Health funding increase from 1 July 2009 but are refusing to pass any of it on to their front line staff. Their priorities need to change quickly if the escalation of action is to be avoided," said John Ryall

The Union has given IHC a month's notice of the action in order for them to make alternative arrangements for the support of those people in their residences.

ENDS

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