CTU Welcomes Hard Hitting Report into Aged Care Sector
 
CTU today commends the EEO Commissioner on the release of a report into the pay and work conditions in the aged care sector, and supports the findings of the report. CTU Spokesperson Eileen Brown says “this is a hard hitting report into the conditions of work, and a call to action to address issues of pay and conditions in the aged care sector.”
 
Eileen Brown says “the report verifies the disturbing reality about the pay and work conditions in the aged care residential and home care sectors. The overwhelmingly female workforce is not just low paid: it is very low paid. Workers in aged care are subsidising the services they work in through their low wages because of the caring nature of the work they do.” 
 
“Pay is a reflection of the value of the work that people do - it is insulting and unjust that people who have worked in this sector for over 20 years would be on wages at or near the minimum wage.”
 
“We can’t afford not to change and invest more in this workforce; we need an enlightened response to the report’s recommendations. People are not getting the services they are entitled to because aged care workers are not receiving adequate training or supervision and there is high turnover of staff.  The flow-on effect on the delivery of safe, quality care is a huge cost to the sector.” 
 
“This report builds on a positive starting point of unanimous agreement among providers, DHBs, consumers and their families, workers and their representatives about the changes required for a sustainable workforce.  The implementation plan sets out the foundation for change, all that is required now is Government leadership and sector collaboration.”
 
“We already know that with an ageing population, the future demand for aged care workers will grow.  The approach by the Government seems to be “ignore it and it will go away” but the implications of not addressing future workforce issues are huge.  The report identifies opportunities for how the sector can work together on addressing current  and future workforce issues.”
 
“The Service and Food Workers Union and New Zealand Nurses Organisation are the two main unions in the aged care sector and have done an excellent job over the past ten years advocating for workers in this sector. To be backed up by the Human Rights Commissioner is very important and makes the connection between decent and fair working conditions and human rights.”
 
Eileen Brown said “CTU commends EEO commissioner, Judy McGregor, for this report and her very moving account of what it is like to work as a caregiver.”
 
ENDS

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