Press Release – New Zealand Labour Party

26 February 2012 MEDIA STATEMENT Rest home workers shouldn’t have to strike to make a living Darien
FENTON
Labour Spokesperson

26 February 2012 MEDIA STATEMENT
Rest home workers shouldn’t have to strike to make a living

If a government can be judged on how it cares for its country’s most vulnerable, National receives a fail mark, says Labour’s spokesperson for Labour Issues Darien Fenton.

“Things have become desperate when some of our lowest paid workers caring for older New Zealanders are forced to strike to get a fair pay increase,” Darien Fenton said.

“Strike action announced by 1500 caregivers, nurses and service workers in New Zealand’s largest rest home chain comes after months of fruitless bargaining and a pitiful pay increase offer of just 1per cent to staff, some of whom are paid as little as $13.61 an hour.

“This is another indication of the dire straits our workplaces are in, with lockouts, contracting out and layoffs gathering pace since the National Government was re-elected in 2011.

“Caregivers do magnificent work caring for the older members of our families, yet they are underpaid and undervalued.

“The gradual takeover of aged care by private equity firms such as Oceania, whose parent company is Macquarie Global Infrastructure fund, means that profit before people is the mantra, even though aged care is largely funded by the New Zealand taxpayer.

“The care of our loved ones rests on the backs of these workers. They shouldn’t have to strike to earn a living,” Darien Fenton said.

Content Sourced from scoop.co.nz
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