Call to Increase Aged Care Wages
The government is to blame for the unfair wages of aged care workers, says New Zealand First.
“Aged care has been underfunded for too long, something that New Zealand First has consistently highlighted,” says New
Zealand First Leader Rt Hon Winston Peters.
“The Court of Appeal upheld an employment court decision, acknowledging that aged care is a female dominated industry
and, as a result, workers’ pay should be set by looking outside at comparable work.
“Working in a rest home is a tough and demanding job. We rely on aged care workers to look after our parents,
grandparents and friends yet we have been let down by a government that has ignored them.
“It is now time for the government to step up and increase funding for aged care. at the same time rest home owners must
be directed to top up wages.
“New Zealand First has previously called for pay parity of aged care workers in private homes with aged care workers
employed by District Health Boards.
“It is wrong that aged care workers are earning $3-$4 an hour less than aged care workers in public hospitals.
“There are, of course, morally responsible organisations that do pay higher wages than others, mainly those that do not
have to answer to shareholders.
“New Zealand First took action in 2006-2007 to improve workers’ wages after a PricewaterhouseCoopers report showed that
the sector was seriously underfunded by about 20 percent—a percentage that has only ever increased over the years.
“As part of New Zealand First’s confidence and supply agreement with the Labour Government in 2005 we boosted funding by
$587 million over two Budgets.
“Post-2008 National took its eye off the ball, and it did not inflation adjust the increase we worked so hard to get.
That has led to the situation today.
“Our current policy calls for an update of the 2010 report into aged care services and ensure all future planning with
the eldercare industry is done in consultation with all stakeholders,” says Mr Peters.
ENDS