
Issue No 102		13 July 2001

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News

Minister for Caged Hair Gets Hot Welcome in West

Boos and jeers greeted Federal Aged Care Minister Bronwyn Bishop as she launched a Commonwealth Carelink Centre in Bunbury Western Australia this week.

" People in regional Western Australia are incensed about the way this government is mishandling Aged Care issues," LHMU Aged Care Union organiser Alison Bunting said.

" Dollars for Aged Care has been cut so much that now employers are using it as an excuse to not pay our members properly."

A newly built 48-bed aged care $7 mill facility has stood empty for three months because the employer won't open the doors of the centre while he demands a cut to the wages of aged care workers.

Meanwhile elderly people are being forced to stay at the 30-year-old Forrest Lodge facility.

" Bronwyn Bishop has become the symbol of all that has gone wrong in Aged Care," Alison said, after yet another rural town meeting on this issue.

Bronwyn a Target

" She is making herself into the target because she so obviously does not understand why people are angry."

Alison said she was disappointed with the 25-minute meeting at Bunbury Airport the Minister set aside to meet aged care workers and their union.

The Minister waved to a group of 50 protesters standing behind a wall of placards outlining their anger about the on-going dispute at the new aged care home.

" Mrs Bishop appeared to have a closed mind when it came to listening to our members' and their grievances," Alison Bunting said after she talked to the Minister.

Aged Care LHMU activists and community members organised the rally in Bunbury to greet the Minister, who was on a flying visit to the state.

Bunbury is in the Federal electorate of Forrest, held by the Coalition's Geoff Prosser, with a five per cent margin.

Aged Care an Election Issue

The LHMU is working hard to make Aged Care an election issue this year.

Alison Bunting is working with local community groups to organise meetings around this issue.

In Albany this week more than 80 people turned up to a community hall meeting to discuss how they can help in an Aged Care campaign.

The State Government and Moran Health Care Group are to go to arbitration over pay and conditions for the workers.

" The Moran Health Group has yet to open the facility because they want to reduce the wages of the Aged Care workers by between $50 to $150 a fortnight.," Alison Bunting said.

Mrs Bishop met union officials, workers and a daughter of a Forrest Lodge resident about the dispute but refused to make a commitment or take a stance saying the question of pay and conditions was an issue between Moran and its staff.

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  Issue 102 contents

Interview: Jolly Green Giant
Senator Bob Brown on the upcoming federal poll, balances of power and what the Greens can teach the trade union movement.

Workplace: Call Centre Takeover
Theresa Davison brings us this real-life story from the coal face of the call centre industry.

E-Change: 1.2 Community � The Ultimate Network
Peter Lewis and Michael Gadiel look at the potential for network technologies to reconnect communities.

International: Child's Play
Union Aid Abroad-APHEDA has recently entered a new alliance with the Child Labour Schools Company to support a project for child labourers in India.

History: Flowers to the Rebels Faded
With the departure of our own Wobbly, a look at the development of the Wobblies in Australia and their view of Labor politicians and the work ethic seems timely.

East Timor: A Dirty Little War
In this extract from his new book, John Martinkus recounts the scenes in Dili immediately following the independence ballot.

Satire: Telstra Share Failure Ends City-Bush Divide: Everybody Screwed Equally
Communications Minister Richard Alston today claimed that the government had fulfilled its promise to ensure that the bush was not disproportionately disadvantaged by Telstra's privatisation.

Review: Cheesy Management
Currently climbing Australian best-seller lists is the 'life-changing' motivational book 'Who Moved My Cheese?' Rowan Cahill has a nibble but doesn't like the taste.

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» Soft Penalty for Video Nasties

» Negligent Employers Should Pay

» Brit Cleaners Serve It Up to Aussie Boss

» Rio Tinto Guilty of Hunter Valley Sackings

» Rail Workers Strike for their Families' Security

» Nurses Seek Urgent Action on Pay

» Workers Win Tip Top Delegate Rights

» Telstra Halts Latest Privatisation Plans

» Requiem for the Banks

» Surfers Remember Oil Slick Disaster

» Widespread Mail Disruptions on Cards

» Minister for Caged Hair Gets Hot Welcome in West

» Cleaner Wins Right to Attend Family Reunion

» Howard Cuts R&D Spending by 15 Per Cent

» Fears Grow Over Shangri-La Protests

» Mick Young Play Award

» Activist Notebook