Workers in aged care facilities covering around 7,000 staff members and 7,000 residents have voted for industrial action ahead of the Federal Election in May.
United Workers Union members at providers including BlueCare in Queensland, Southern Cross Care SA, Anglicare in SA, Hall & Prior in WA, and Churches of Christ in Queensland are preparing for a national strike over pay and conditions that United Workers Union Aged Care Director Carolyn Smith says are “failing workers and failing residents”.
“Aged care workers know the Federal Government has failed them in the vaccination rollout, failed them with PPE and failed them in the Omicron outbreak when 900 aged care residents died, so they are holding their employers accountable.
“In addition, aged care workers face pay levels so low they can barely afford the petrol to get to work, and outrageously heavy workloads mean a majority of aged care workers are thinking about resigning for good,” she said.
The numbers could expand to more than 12,000 if workers at Aegis and Regis in WA, plus Bolton Clarke in SA, also vote to join the strike, though the union has promised to work with providers to make sure aged care residents are looked after during the industrial action.
But will the move gain any political traction?
Both the Coalition and Labor have stated that they will leave the decision on a wage increase for aged care workers to the Fair Work Commission (FWC) to decide (though the Opposition has committed to back the FWC decision and fund any wage rise in full).
The FWC is due to start hearings into a case for a 25 per cent wage increase next week with a final decision expected to be handed down in July.
Here’s hoping the unions use their influence to push for bipartisan support on wage increases after the election – when it will be needed to ensure our aged care workers are fairly remunerated for the great work that they do.
