AGED CARE WORKERS ON STRIKE FROM PERTH TO TORRES STRAIT

From Perth in Western Australia to Torres Strait in Queensland, aged care workers are taking unprecedented strike action today in protest at conditions they say have gone from “terrible to horrifying”.

(EDS: See below for full media opportunities including walk-off and strike rally). 

“When aged care workers in some of Australia’s largest aged care providers employing 10,000 people walk off the job today they are doing so because they feel they have no option but to take strike action,” Carolyn Smith, Aged Care Director, United Workers Union said today.

“Aged care workers have been pushed to do double and triple shifts, facing dire conditions in PPE and no let up in sight in many facilities.

“But Covid was just the latest burden in an aged care system already in crisis.

“Aged care workers report aged care residents are frustrated, upset and humiliated as they wait too long to be showered, too long for soiled pads to be changed and too long, sometimes, even to be fed.

“All this while aged care workers earn some of the lowest wages in Australia.”

About the strike:

Aged care workers will walk off at five major aged care facilities in Western Australia and Queensland on Tuesday.*

Workers in providers with more than 120 facilities and caring for almost 10,000 aged care residents will go on strike in support of their claims for increased pay and staffing levels, walking off the job ahead of major CBD rallies.

Several measures have been adopted to ensure aged care resident safety:

• Employers have been given a longer notification than the minimum legal requirement about workers’ intention to strike.
• Workers are limiting strike action from 11.30am to 4.30pm – essentially so all lunches can be prepared and aged care workers can return for dinner preparation.

	Adelaide*	Brisbane	Perth
First-call media contact	1300 898 633	1300 898 633	1300 898 633
Walk-offs
What	Walk-off from an aged care facility. Striking aged care workers walk out of an aged care facility and board a bus headed for CBD strike rally
When	11.30am, all times local times	11.30am, all times local times	11.30am, all times local times
Where	N/A	BlueCare Kenmore 129 Brookfield Rd Brookfield QLD 4069	Regis Weston Meet on William Street near corner of 118-120 Monash Ave Nedlands WA 6009
Distance from CBD	N/A	24 minutes	11 minutes
Who	Aged care workers will be available to speak to the media about why they are taking strike action.

 

Strike Rally	Adelaide	Brisbane	Perth
What	Aged care workers gather at CBD rallies: speakers, chanting, placards, flags and banners
When	12.30pm for 1pm, all times local times	12.30pm for 1pm, all times local times	12.30pm for 1pm, all times local times
Where	Victoria Square/Tarntanyangga Grote Street Adelaide	Queen’s Gardens Park 144 George St Brisbane	James Street Amphitheatre Perth Cultural Centre Northbridge
Who	Aged care workers will speak at the rally about issues facing aged care workers. Individual interviews available.

* About the providers:

Planned strike action in South Australia has been delayed in part by two SA providers, Anglicare and Southern Cross Care, applying to the Fair Work Commission.

A rally will be held in South Australia tomorrow ahead of planned industrial action following a two-week suspension (Southern Cross Care) and revised notice of industrial action (Anglicare).

 

Providers where workers are taking action	Residents*	Residents by state	Facility numbers*	Staff**
Regis	756		9	900
Aegis	2700		28	3000
Hall & Prior***	1017		16	900
WA		4473
Churches of Christ	1736		25	2000
BlueCare	3481		48	3000
Qld		5217
Total		9690	126	9800
* Numbers from Aged Care Service List – Australia – as at 30 June 2021
** United Workers Union estimates
*** Only about a third of facilities involved in vote.

 

ENDS Media Contact: 1300 898 633, [email protected]