Aged care workers in Queensland are taking strike action today, as aged care workers vow to continue their fight for reforms to aged care no matter who wins the Federal Election on Saturday.
“The anger and frustration workers are experiencing is because they feel they and their residents have been completely failed by Scott Morrison and the Federal Government,” United Workers Union Aged Care Director Carolyn Smith said today.
“Labor has put up a plan that promises to materially address the crisis in aged care.
“It’s crickets on aged care from Scott Morrison and his incompetent Aged Care Services Minister, Richard Colbeck.
“There is real anger about what has happened in aged care, and that anger is rightly directed at Scott Morrison’s failures.
“When you lay it all end to end, it’s a tale of neglect, incompetence and a profound failure to adequately care for Australia’s most vulnerable people.
“Aged care workers were failed in the vaccination program, they were failed with boosters, they were failed with availability of PPE and RATs, many have been dudded on bonus payments and they were failed again when Omicron ripped through and killed more than 1400 aged care residents this year.
“The failures are still continuing – as United Workers Union has revealed more than 60 aged care residents are dying of Omicron every week.
“More than 350 aged care residents have died of Covid since the Federal election campaign was called and yet it’s not an aged care crisis for Scott Morrison – he’s too busy putting on silly hats.”
Queensland aged care workers have been taking strike action in BlueCare and Churches of Christ facilities, walking off the job in the latest strikes after unpecedented strike actions were launched last week.
Ms Smith said the workers would continue taking strike action to hold their employers accountable for better pay and more time to care.
But she said in any strike actions, providers would be kept informed and any actions would also address workers’ concerns that residents be cared for appropriately.
“I have never seen aged care workers so upset and so angry,” Ms Smith said.
“They are determined to achieve change in their industry.
“They need more staff so they can provide the quality care they want to provide.
“They need better wages so they can stay in the industry that they love.
“They are not stopping until they change aged care.”