Union: Next step could be strike
As support and care workers find it difficult to make ends meet, and leave the sector, those that remain are struggling with heavier workloads, a Timaru aged care home support worker says.
South Canterbury support and care workers got in ahead of a wave of rallies planned throughout the country today, gathering at Timaru’s Strathallan Cr on Saturday. The PSA, NZNO and E tū members held the rally to urge the Government to up its pay offer of an extra .70 cents per hour, and to move quickly to get something in place before the agreement expires in just weeks.
Johannes Sneygans, also an E tū delegate, said a petition they had with them on Saturday collected a ‘‘good number of signatures’’ and will be presented to parliament, with signatures collected throughout the country, tomorrow.
He said with increased difficulties caused by the pandemic combined with the rising costs of petrol and groceries, ‘‘it’s getting very difficult to do our jobs’’.
His job includes house cleaning, meal preparation, medication supervision, managing insulin injections and blood sugar levels, assisting with showering and personal care, ‘‘basically anything they need help with’’.
‘‘You must have a passion for it. If you don’t have time for elderly people or people with disabilities then you don’t belong in this position,’’ he said.
He worried about the people he cares for, as staff shortages increase. ‘‘If you’re overworked, mistakes can happen. You might be looking after a husband and a wife with multiple medications, but you could mix up times or even who gets what. It’s dangerous.
‘‘If it wasn’t for carers, most of the elderly we see would have to be in permanent care in a rest home, but it’s so hard to get in, for a bed to open up.’’
He said the proposed increase is ‘‘ridiculous’’. ‘‘It doesn’t even cover the petrol price increase. We must still make a living. And that’s one of the main reasons people leave.’’
He said he is paid around $2.50 for travel time and fuel costs for each home he visits, on the basis of five minutes travel time.
He wished the pay offer could be closer to the inflation rate. ‘‘2.5% to 3% is a slap in the face, honestly.’’
E tū director Kirsty McCully said the rally was in part a response to the lack of additional funding in the Budget but also because the legislation that sets out the pay, qualifications and progressions expires at the end of June. She said given the legislative timeline, the process to extend it would need to be in place by the end of the week.
The affected roles include disability support, aged residential care, home and community support and community mental health and addiction workers – around 65,000 people nationwide.
‘‘There’s a pretty dire situation on the horizon in community care and support,’’ McCully said.
‘‘That’s one of the reasons that for the first time you’ve got providers, employers, advocacy groups like Grey Power and the unions uniting to take these actions around the country.’’