United Voice Aged Care delegates from over the state met on Wednesday 13th July for the quarterly Aged Care Industry Committee meeting. Delegates did not waste the opportunity to discuss major policy areas, such as:
- Carbon Pricing
- Productivity Commission Report into Aged Care
- The Equal Pay and Low Paid Bargaining Decisions
- EBA and Organising Strategies
At the meeting, delegates made major decisions including the following motions:
Motion 1:
The Aged Care Industry Committee recommends that the National Office of United Voice works on the formation of a National Aged Care Committee, with representation from Aged Care delegates nationally, for the purpose of giving workers a united national voice.
Moved: Heather Jackson
Seconded: Alison Kaldi
Carried Unanimously
Motion 2:
The Aged Care Industry Committee will write to the Major Aged Care Providers asking them to reconsider the unique opportunity to reform the Aged Care Workforce by consenting to be a party to the Low Paid Bargaining Authorisation. This will then allow workers, your union, providers and the Government to sit at the one bargaining table to find a solution for the industry.
Moved: Helen Bland
Seconded: Ann Wood
Carried Unanimously
Motion 3:
The Aged Care Industry Committee will write to Scott Lucas from Miles Witt Partnership, inviting him to our next Aged Care Industry Committee meeting to discuss why he advises his clients (Aged Care Providers) to initially not to consent to United Voice's Low Paid Bargaining Authorisation, which would work towards fixing the workforce issues in the industry.
Moved: Susan McKeay
Seconded: Sharon Beckmann
Carried Unanimously
Motion 4:
The Aged Care Industry Committee commits to a political campaign that will target Federal MP's that can influence the Aged Care funding. This is for the purpose of persuading them to reform the industry for the benefit of workers and clients.
Moved: Sharon Beckmann
Seconded: Alison Kaldi
Carried Unanimously
Motion 5:
The Aged Care Industry Committee endorses the Queensland Council of Unions Campaign - Charter for Working Queenslanders. Visit http://charterforqld.com.au/ to find out how this campaign will help over 2 million Queensland Working Families.
Moved: Bev Watkinson
Seconded: Susan McKeay
Carried Unanimously
DCA UPDATE: Blue Care Delegates want compensation for DCA at next meeting with management.
After giving Blue Care management plenty of opportunities to demonstrate otherwise, United Voice Blue Care delegates are convinced that Blue Care can actually afford to increase the Direct Care Allowance (DCA).
Therefore a meeting has been scheduled for the 11th of August, where United Voice Blue Care delegates will present Robyn Batten (Executive Director) with the hundreds of your signed posts cards of support. They will also present the argument to management that Blue Care PC's have waited too long for their well deserved increase to their DCA. Delegates will do their upmost to ensure an increase occurs at this meeting. However, if Blue Care management refuse to increase the allowance at the meeting, United Voice will continue the fight in Fair Work Australia.