Caregivers, nurses and service workers at the Oceania owned resthomes in Tauranga are hoping for a pay rise owing to their union counterparts in Paeroa going on strike this week.
On Thursday, March 1 a total 1500 members of the New Zealand Nurses and Service Food Workers Union will be striking throughout New Zealand from 8.30am to 10.30am.
Oceania owns Melrose Lifestyle Care and Village and Elmswood Rest Home in Waihi Road, Aspen Rest Home in McLean Street, and Ohinemuri Rest Home in Paeroa.
Only workers at the Ohinemuri complex will be striking.
Although workers at the Tauranga facilities will not be taking part in the strike directly, union spokesperson Lyndy McIntyre says the outcome will affect Tauranga care workers.
'It does affect all employees at Oceania, including those in Tauranga who will be affected.
'Staff, nurses, caregivers and service workers belonging to the union will also be part of the negotiations.
'This is a targeted strike, so it will involve 20 different sites around the country.”
Joint union spokesperson Alistair Duncan says strikers are seeking a 3.5 per cent pay rise to cover the increase in the cost of living, but Oceania has only offered one per cent.
He says the strike comes as a last resort following eight months of bargaining after the collective agreement ended in June 2011, and agreement talks on Friday failed.
'Residents and families are supportive of the workforce but management appear deaf to their concerns.
'Oceania has chosen to ignore the people who are the backbone of its business.
'Every day carers go the extra mile for residents, but Oceania has turned its back on their staff.”
He says the early notice of the two-hour stoppage, which 45 workers from the Ohinemuri site are participating in, was intended to give Oceania a chance to reconsider.
'Staff are frustrated by the approach of a company that has rigidly refused to address staff concerns while shipping money offshore to its foreign owners.”
Oceania's parent company, Retirement Care NZ, is controlled by Australian based Macquarie Global Infrastructure.
It runs 59 private rest homes and hospitals from Auckland to Invercargill.
Alistair says other strikes are planned for other Oceania owned rest homes should industrial action this Thursday not be successful.
6 comments
Posted on 28-02-2012 09:40 | By CC8
If they don't like the pay they have a choice....find another better paying job. Then if the employer can't find staff at the price it is willing to pay they will have to raise the offer. Striking is a childish stubborn form of communication , outdated in the 21st century. Just a relic of the past perpetuated by the unions, which are archaic and out dated themselves...Mostly run by whinging poms and other recent imports.
stupid comment
Posted on 28-02-2012 09:54 | By tonyb1
What a stupid comment, do you have any idea what a care assistant has to do ? how little they get paid ? the pay is not a lot better than the dole and at times you have to get what you can get in employment, would people prefer too look after their parents at home if these people were not actually doing the job, wiping up a soiled adult is not a pretty site You are more than likely one of those people who pack off their parents for someone else to deal with to avoid having to effect your lifestyle
Give them more money...
Posted on 28-02-2012 11:47 | By wreck1080
It's not a nice job. These people are real heroes and should be paid more. The problem is that the managers are getting all the money at the expense of those at the coal-face.
Go for it
Posted on 28-02-2012 16:25 | By Glen Clova
So they are still around CC8 blame everything on the Poms.Something to ponder since 1989 what improvements have you had in your job are you paid time and a half when you work more than 40 hrs,double time after the first 3 hrs of time and half,Double time if you dont have an 8 hr break from ending and starting a shift.All workers in NZ were paid these rates prior to the deregulation of the Waterfront and introduction of individual employment contracts,since then the workers of NZ wages have slowly but surely dropped to a pittance No inflation adjusted yearly increase.So much for progress kk
power to the people
Posted on 28-02-2012 17:26 | By bonner
good on ya stand strong this is what more new zealanders need to do instead of getting walked over
Overit
Posted on 28-02-2012 17:53 | By overit
Home Maintenance(housework)=$13.43/hr, Personal Care(showers,meal prep)$14.03/hr. Caregivers travel mostly at their own expense to private homes. More money can be earnt doing qualifications. Whats the minimum wage???
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