12 September 2011

98% of union members back sleepover minimum wage deal

Around 1700 disability support and community mental health workers have voted nearly unanimously to accept a revised Government offer to end their long-running struggle to be paid the minimum wage for sleepover shifts. Over 98% have voted in favour of the deal.

Over the past week 60 meetings of Service and Food Workers Union members have voted on an offer to settle the 10-year dispute before a Supreme Court hearing set down for 13 September.

SFWU National Secretary John Ryall said the settlement, which would ensure the full minimum age was paid for workers doing ‘sleepover’ shifts by the end of 2012 was a victory for low-paid workers.

“These workers do hard and challenging work, taking them away from their families to support some of the most vulnerable people in our society,” he said. “Recognition of the value of that work has been a long time coming, but now it is in sight.”

The settlement, totalling more than $100million, provides for 50% of workers’ back pay claims to be paid and ensures sleepover shifts will be paid at the full minimum wage by the end of 2012. The cost of the will be shared by Government and the IHC.

Last month union members overwhelmingly rejected a Government offer to phase in the minimum wage over four years and pay 25% of back pay claims.

John Ryall said the settlement was worth about $55 million in back pay for members who have given the union authority to act in the case and approximately $47.5 million to implement the minimum wage.

Now Cabinet has signed off the deal, the only part of the process left is for Parliament to pass legislation and extend the settlement to other providers than IHC.

“This is a really great outcome, not only for workers, but for those requiring support and their families,” said John Ryall. “After a long struggle it is good to see government investing in this sector.”

ENDS

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