IHC Front Line Workers Take Action Over Wage Freeze
Over 3000 community support workers employed by intellectual disability provider IHC are stepping up their action to get
a wage increase.
The Service and Food Workers Union has been negotiating with IHC since last October. The Union is seeking a 2% pay
increase and IHC is offering a 12 month pay freeze.
From next Monday (29 March) the workers will add to their bans on overtime, on non-essential paper work and on driving
their own personal vehicles on IHC business by implementing a 24-hour ban on "sleepovers".
The sleepover ban will mean that the workers will leave their workplaces (group homes housing up to 5 people with
intellectual disabilities) from 10pm on Monday until 7am the next morning.
Service and Food Workers Union National Secretary John Ryall said that the 24 hour ban on sleepovers was not done
lightly, but after 5 months of negotiating it was an attempt to bring IHC to its senses in realising that the welfare of
its front line staff was critical to the support provided for its intellectually disabled clients.
"IHC have received a 2% Ministry of Health funding increase from 1 July 2009 but are refusing to pass any of it on to
their front line staff. Their priorities need to change quickly if the escalation of action is to be avoided," said John
Ryall
The Union has given IHC a month's notice of the action in order for them to make alternative arrangements for the
support of those people in their residences.
ENDS