Aged Care Workers’ Wages Withheld

New Zealand Nurses Organisation
Media Release

18 October 2007

Aged Care Workers’ Wages Withheld

Anglican Aged Care in Christchurch refuses to offer its staff the minimum pay increases required by the District Health Board despite receiving additional funding tagged for relieving the chronic low pay in the sector.

Members of the New Zealand Nurses Organisation and the Service and Food Workers Union Nga Ringa Tota employed by Anglican Aged Care will today hold a 2-hour stopwork meeting – a rare step from a workforce dedicated to safe care for their residents. At the meeting, union members and organisers will discuss their options following the employer’s refusal to make a reasonable offer.

While the additional taxpayer funding given to Anglican Aged Care comes with a requirement to boost wages of the lowest paid workers by a minimum of $1.00/hr, they are only offering between 40-65 cents/hr.

Anglican Aged Care’s actions are in stark contrast to many Aged Care industry leaders, including Guardian Healthcare Ltd, who have already settled collective employment agreement negotiations with NZNO and SFWU. These settlements have not only seen the Government funding passed on, but providers are also including their own money in the settlement packages as they see long-term value in retaining high quality staff to take care of our elderly.

NZNO Organiser Steve Howard says that Anglican Aged Care’s offer is also conditional on a successful Judicial Review launched by employer representative organisation Health Care Providers NZ. HCPNZ is seeking to have any link between public funding and minimum pay increases removed from funding contracts the providers have with District Health Boards.

Again this is in contrast to the positive relationships forged between the unions and many other employers in the sector.

Like many Aged Care providers, Anglican Aged Care is struggling to retain staff. However, unlike their counterparts, they are not prepared to work with NZNO and SFWU to improve recruitment and retention. Steve Howard says that as well as refusing to meet the minimum requirements, Anglican Aged Care are also looking to claw back the additional week’s annual leave staff are currently entitled after 5 years’ service.

Although union membership is high, members at Anglican Aged Care have made arrangements to ensure sufficient staff remain on duty to take care of the residents during today’s meeting.

ENDS

Where: Baptist Church, cnr Oxford and Madras Streets, Christchurch.
When: Thursday 18th October 9:30 – 11:30 am.
Available for comment / photos from 10:30 am.

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