Fair Share for Aged Care
Fair Share for Aged Care
Fair Share for Aged Care is an exciting campaign run jointly by the New Zealand Nurses Organisation and Service and Food Workers Union: Nga Ringa Tota.
It's a campaign to win fair pay and decent conditions in aged care through collective bargaining. To do that we need to increase the number of union members. When we have strength of numbers, we have a strong collective voice. We need lots more workers in aged care to join the union to be successful.
Update - May 2010
Collective bargaining is coming up with the three major chains which employ SFWU and NZNO members.
First out of the box is Oceania with delegates and management due to sit down together in early June. Number two chain, BUPA is next and close behind them is Metlifecare. In the lower half of the North Island close attention will be paid to Presybterian Support. In 2009 PSC union members reached record levels and their campaign to win improved pay and conditions will set the standard for other aged care workers.
With the Minister of Finance preaching 'restraint' and the Prime Minister talking about the need to close the wage gap with Australia the government has put itself between a rock and a hard place.
What isn't in dispute is that with rising acuity levels and staff busier than ever, workers at Oceania are more productive than ever!
With this years' budget failing to put in the millions needed to maintain, let alone improve care services we are waiting to see just how little the DHBs will have to offer aged care providers. The NZNO & SFWU have asked for details but one thing is for sure, it wont be nearly enough to deliver safe staffing, pay equity or decent training. The NZ Council of Trade Unions estmates show a shortfall of $300 to $500 million a year across the health sector.
So dig out your collective and start getting your ideas ready to share.
Update for union members at BUPA - 30 June 2010
Union members set to receive a pay rise this week with more to come
Last week union delegates met with senior BUPA management to discuss the lead up to this year’s pay negotiations. After a full day of talks BUPA management have agreed with both our unions to immediately pass on a 1.6% pay rise to all SFWU and NZNO members from the 1 July. More importantly, BUPA management have accepted our right to push for a further wage increase over the coming weeks, along with other changes to the present terms and conditions of employment.
Click here to read the latest update for members.
Latest: Fair Share News - Winter 2010 Issue
Inside this issue:
- Budget slaps aged care... Now it’s up to us!
- Eileen Brown from the CTU talks to Christian Social Services
- Helen Kelly speaks out in support of aged care workers
- Confusion at the Home of Compassion
- Blue Dove Settlement at last!
Read Fair Share News - Winter 2010 (PDF)
Background
NZNO, together with the SFWU has been campaigning for a Fair Share for Aged Care for a number of years.
The campaign's goal was to win increased government funding for the aged care sector in Budget 2005.
We campaigned for increased funding targeted to:
- Fairpay for caregivers, nurses and support workers in aged care
- Safe staffing levels
- More training opportunties and recognition of training in improved pay
Aged Care MECA Updates
- Autumn 2010 (PDF)
- Summer 2009 (PDF)
- August 2009 (PDF)
- June 2009 (PDF)
- December 2008 (PDF)
Fair Share News
- Summer 2009: Public holidays - Know your rights (PDF)
- Spring 2009: DHB Boss Agrees to A Day in the Life of a Caregiver! (PDF)
- May 2009: What is National going to do about Aged Care? (PDF)
- October 2008: Do the Political Parties care about Aged Care? (PDF)
- September 2008: Action at last on safe staffing after politicians receive petition. (PDF)
- June 2008: Stronger together - workers winning as one! (PDF)
To view NZNO information about the Fair Share for Aged Care campaign click here
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