Staff working at a private aged care facility in the Queensland city of Mackay are set to stage a protest on Monday, October 25, in a bid to secure a pay increase and improve working conditions.
Employees working at the Glenella Care nursing home claim that they currently work double shifts and through their meal breaks in order to meet workload demand.
The rally will be held between 2pm and 3pm, which will allow employees to attend before or after their shift, depending on whether they work day shift or afternoon shift.
In a recent report in The Courier Mail, Queensland Nurses and Midwives’ Union Mackay organiser Sharon Eaton said that management at the facility are aware of staff demands and they have been asked to consult with the facility owners as part of ongoing enterprise bargaining negotiations.
Staff at Glenella Care are asking for an extra $1.05 per hour and six weeks of paid parental leave.
Initially, facility owners ANNIMACI Pty Ltd offered staff a 45 cent per hour pay rise with no parental leave, but they have since increased their offer to 75 cents per hour with four weeks of paid maternity leave.
“Glenella staff love this facility and are proud to work here,’’ Ms Eaton said.
Ms Eaton claims that staff at Glenella earn up to 30% less than other Queensland Health workers and less than staff who work at other aged care homes in the Mackay region.
Good on them! I only wish all the biggest private Aged Care conglomerates would do the same. But where you have hardly anyone in a union because they are mostly foureigners and visa card holders this won’t happen anytime soon. The big private companies know this. They aren’t that stupid. It has always been the plan. Hire more overseas staff on visas and you don’t have a problem. Don’t have to pay so much better. Don’t have to compete with other similar businesses and they are all doing the same thing.they aren’t giving the staff they have enough permanent shifts leaving us all short staffed and overworked leading alot to leave the industry but as long as there is hope of the borders opening to visa holders don’t expect a decent pay rise. We already have people living here yep, Australians as well that would love to work in the sector but most leave when they see the working conditions and the pay just doesn’t cut it! But I you want to become a resident then you will do anything and if that means a low wage that’s fine for them.