Slave wages cause rest home workers to strike

Close to 70 members of the New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) and the Service and Food Workers Union Nga Ringa Tota (SFWU) employed at Aranui Home and Hospital start three days of industrial action on Tuesday 17 July.

Union members have been negotiating since October last year and are taking action in support of a fair pay deal. Workers are angry and disappointed they aren’t being offered a fair increase. Aranui owner, Ashton Parker says “affordability” is not the reason for refusing to pay a fair rate that values service, experience qualifications.

The majority of Aranui rest home care staff are paid the minimum wage of $13.50 an hour and over the past 11 years have only had increases when the law has been changed to increase the minimum wage.

NZNO Industrial Advisor Rob Haultain said, “The Human Rights Commission’s recently released report exposed the crisis of modern day slavery occurring in residential aged care. Aranui is a very good example of this slavery. These workers are shown little respect for the complex work they do or the fact that they are the core of the employer’s business.”

“If slavery means working hard in difficult situations with challenging residents for the minimum wage then there is no question that these workers face this experience daily.”

Aranui owner Ashton Parker has interests in early childhood facilities, gynaecology services as well as residential aged care –all sectors receive significant tax payer funding.

Members will be striking as follows:

Tuesday 17: 0300 – 1100 & 1500 – 1900.
Picket 0700 - 1100 Aranui Home & Hospital 19 Woodward Road Mt Albert

Wednesday 18: 0300 – 1100 & 1500 – 1900.
Picket 0700 - 1100 & 1500 - 1700 Aranui Home & Hospital 19 Woodward Road Mt Albert

Thursday 18: 0300 – 1100 & 1500 – 1900.
Picket 0700 - 1100 & 1500 - 1700 Aranui Home & Hospital 19 Woodward Road Mt Albert

ENDS

© Scoop Media