
Issue No 68		25 August 2000

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News

Homecare Workers Hit Streets

By Andrew Casey

Carol Howard takes care of fifteen elderly and disabled people in the Manly/Brookvale region of Sydney but she has decided join a huge rally in Parramatta on Monday to protest about her poor pay.

Mary Dower takes care of twenty elderly and disabled people in the Hurstville area. She has decided to join a huge rally in Parramatta on Monday to protest about her poor pay.

Frank Eastwell and Kieran Lawless between them take care of fifty elderly and disabled people in the Blacktown region. They have decided to join a huge rally in Parramatta on Monday to protest about their poor pay.

Carol, Mary, Frank and Keiran are four of the four thousand people who work for Home Care Service of NSW - the largest provider in this State of quality services for the elderly and disabled in their homes.

But on Monday August 28 2000, Carol, Mary, Frank and Keiran will join state wide rallies of Home Care workers to demand that their employer show them respect and make a better pay offer. The main Sydney rally will be between 12-2pm outside Home Care's Central Office at 6 Parkes St, Parramatta.

Home Care workers can start work at 6am and finish at 7.30pm but for this back breaking job people working for Home Care get paid between $13 and $14 an hour.

A Home Care worker drives from home-to-home to the people he or she works for and takes care of the personal and housekeeping needs of her or his clients.

" The rapid ageing of the Australian population means that the demand for the services of Carol, Mary, Frank and Keiran are growing exponentially," Sonia Minutillo, the Executive Vice President of the Home Care Union - the Liquor, Hospitality and Miscellaneous Workers Union (LHMU) - said today.

Carol, Mary, Frank and Keiran are members of the Home Care Union which has been negotiating with the management of Home Care Services of NSW since March this year.

" The Home Care Service made a wage offer of 1.5% over a 12 month period in our negotiating but the union delegates rejected it explaining that this just did not keep up with inflation," Sonia Minutillo said.

" Home Care Service has a huge recruitment problem with about a quarter of the staff leaving every year. The Service can't expect to keep people if they don't show them any respect and offer to pay them properly."

A union delegation presented the General Manager of the Home Care Service of NSW, Mike Hetherington, with petitions and letters signed by staff from throughout NSW explaining that the offer was just not good enough.

" Our members have co-operated to help the organisation reduce workers compensation premiums and massive reductions in travel costs so as to save money to help more clients.

" The General Manager, Mr Hetherington, increased the offer to 2% but this too was rejected by LHMU members ," Ms Minutillo said.

" Members have endorsed a campaign of action involving a series of work and rostering bans in support of their claim. "

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Issue 68 contents

Interview: New Unionist
Britain's Trade Union Congress secretary John Monks on life under Blair and why the future of unionism could well rest in Europe.

History: The Victims of Whiggery
George Loveless, the leader of the rural workers who became the Tolpuddle Martyrs, recorded his ideals and experiences in a pamphlet that brings his story to life.

Economics: The Final Station
Corporatisation was first introduced into Australia by the former Greiner Coalition government. What is 'corporatisation' and who should we hold to account under its prescriptions?

International: Massive Union Win in American Telecom
The Communications Workers of America (CWA) announced on Thursday a settlement with Verizon Communications ending a fifteen day strike by 87,000 telephone workers from Maine to Virginia.

Unions: A Vital Community Service
What keeps the engine of the Australian economy running? Manufacturing productivity, the stock market, exports? Try child care.

Satire: Putin copies Clinton: dead seamen stains reputation
MOSCOW, Tuesday: Russian naval authorities today faced staunch criticism, and the anger of a nation gripped by tragedy, as they conceded that all 118 Russian submariners trapped in the nuclear submarine, the Kursk, had died.

Review: Blow Up The Pokies
Whether it arouses public debate about Gambling is best left to the public but Peter Zangarri thinks Tim Freedman is on a winner with the Whitlam's latest CD.

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» Super Saga

» Homecare Workers Hit Streets

» CPSU Logs On Internet Providers

» 1 Million Reasons to Belong to a Union

» City Rail Security Guards Win Olympic Bonus

» Making a Difference in ICANN Elections

» Sydney Hotel Stoppages Throughout Next Week

» Scientists Protest IT Outsourcing

» Dealing With Workplace Deaths