The Australia Institute’s Centre for Future Work report on aged care funding reveals once again the terrible human cost paid for years of neglect, Carolyn Smith, Aged Care Director of United Workers Union, said today. “The report’s finding that $10 billion in aged care funding each year is necessary to meet Royal Commission recommendations is an appalling indictment on the treatment of older Australians,” Ms Smith said. “It is the same figure the Royal Commission reached when it found Federal Government funding in 2018-19 was $9.8 billion lower annually than it should be if aged care had not suffered cutback after cutback. “This report explains why aged care workers are left in tears after their shifts. “The $10 billion annual funding shortfall is leading to horrendous human costs in aged care, with older Australians left unsafe and vulnerable, and workers left physically and emotionally exhausted. “The report once again underlines […]

Industrial action by essential health workers fighting against privatisation of vital health services will continue after a failed bid by the Marshall Liberal Government to block the workers. “The Marshall Liberal Government has monumentally failed in its application to stop all industrial action – out of 172 work bans, 148 are continuing,” South Australian public sector director Demi Pnevmatikos said. “Our South Australian health heroes are able to continue their fight against privatisation at all eight facilities.” In an interim order the South Australian Employment Tribunal imposed minor alterations to work bans at six of the eight hospitals and medical centres where work bans are taking place. Despite Treasurer Rob Lucas’s alarmist rhetoric, work bans covering cleaning, catering and other areas of hospital services are all still continuing. “Essential health workers will continue raising their concerns about privatisation of vital health services, which the Marshall Liberal Government is refusing to […]

SA Treasurer Rob Lucas’s refusal yesterday to rule out further privatisation of health services and job cuts in hospitals has shocked workers who help care for South Australia’s ill, elderly and most vulnerable. Mr Lucas’s admission he was open to privatising vital public health services and inevitable job cuts was a betrayal of the South Australian community, United Workers Union public sector director Demi Pnevmatikos said today. “In the midst of a global pandemic, the Treasurer finally has revealed the secret plan that the community has been fearful of all along,” Ms Pnevmatikos said. “The Marshall Liberal Government is not ruling out privatisation – that’s why they want to attack the conditions and safeguards for South Australian workers.” Ms Pnevmatikos said Mr Lucas’s open discussion about privatisation options was a stark contrast to Mr Marshall’s statement ahead of the 2018 election that the Marshall Liberal Government did not have a […]

Today the Victorian Government announced a $50 million investment into mRNA vaccine technology and research, so that COVID-19 vaccines using mRNA technology can be manufactured locally. The United Workers Union welcomes this decision to address this urgent crisis regarding the loss of advanced manufacturing jobs in Victoria, as evidenced by the impending closures of pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and ExxonMobil’s manufacturing facilities in the coming year. These site closures will result in hundreds of highly skilled advanced manufacturing workers that are going to be made redundant, and until now have had no realistic opportunity to find further work in the sector. This announcement is a step in the right direction but further leadership and funding from the both State and Federal governments are required to rebuild Australia’s advanced manufacturing capacity. Quotes attributable to Tim Kennedy, National Secretary United Workers Union “United Workers Union welcomes today’s announcement by the Victorian Government […]

Essential health workers will press their case today for state-wide industrial action to raise their concerns about privatisation and job cuts. The workers and their union will attend a tribunal hearing after a last-ditch attempt to block industrial action late yesterday by the Marshall Government, which sought to overrule work bans at eight hospitals and health centres. The South Australian Employment Tribunal ordered a compulsory conciliation this morning (EDS: 11.30AM WED). The work bans are scheduled to start at 12 noon today. Essential workers are launching rolling work bans to send a clear signal to the Marshall Government that privatisation of services and job cuts threaten the care of the state’s ill, elderly and most vulnerable. The concerns about privatisation and job cuts have been fueled by a 14-month delay in reaching a new enterprise agreement with 7,000 South Australian health heroes who have been on the frontline of the […]

MEDIA ALERT WHEN: TODAY 1pm Thursday 1 April 2021 WHERE: McCormick Foods, Cnr Fairbank Rd and Brady Ave, Clayton South WHAT:  Shadow Education Minister and Shadow Minister for Women Tanya Plibersek, ACTU President Michele O’Neil and Victorian Trades Hall Secretary Luke Hilakari visit McCormick workers after five weeks on strike. McCormick workers make the sauces for every major fast food chain including KFC, McDonalds, Hungry Jacks, Subway, Nandos, Oporto and Red Rooster. Workers haven’t had a pay rise since 2016 and have just voted no to an offer from McCormick that would cut their conditions. These McCormick workers who are leading the fight for respect for essential food workers are today joined by the wider Victorian community. VISUALS: Attendees will march in front of the building where the brands are displayed and decorate the fence of McCormick’s factory with easter eggs containing messages in support of the workers. WHO: Shadow […]

Aged care workers have rejected central recommendations of the Aged Care Royal Commission, saying they do not go far enough or quickly enough to provide the care and safety older Australians need. In a snap survey conducted by United Workers Union on Tuesday and Wednesday, 84 per cent of aged care workers said they did not think the recommendations do enough to improve the quality of care for older Australians. And 84 per cent of aged care workers said they were not confident the Morrison Government would act to significantly improve the quality of care for older Australians. The poll of more than 600 aged care workers also found: – 86 per cent of aged care workers rejected the proposed increase of 20 minutes of care time as too low. – 78 per cent of aged care workers do not think they will get a pay rise as a result […]