DHB funding offer

07 November 2005

Funding Certainty Must Bring Aged Care Employers Back to the Table

“The announcement of a new DHB funding offer to aged care employers for 2005-2006 means employers must return to negotiations with their staff and agree to pay rises,” said New Zealand Nurses Organisation industrial services manager Cee Payne-Harker today.

DHBs have offered 3% to aged care employers, with an additional 1% for holiday pay.

However Cee Payne-Harker said NZNO agreed with the employers that the DHB offer is less than government has made available.

“NZNO wants all the money DHBs have been given from government to be made available for workers’ wage increases,” she said.

“The hardworking aged care workforce has ended up with a small share once the money moves from government, to DHBs, to providers and then to workers.”

Cee Payne-Harker said current industrial disputes in aged care were over providers offering less than 3% pay increases.

“Now there is no excuse for any pay offers less than 3%, and we are certainly facing industrial action if employers continue to offer paltry pay rises,” she said.

Cee Payne-Harker said some profitable providers could afford to pay more and the certainly of this funding should mean they can offer 4-5% increases now.

“But, 3% of $10 an hour is an extra thirty cents an hour,” she said.

“Nurses, caregivers and support workers in aged care are looking to government to deliver on promises of significant extra funding to ensure fair pay, and adequate training and staffing levels in aged care.”

ENDS

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