topic First child care workers, now aged care workers in Community Spirit

First child care workers, now aged care workers

bluecat*dancing — Thu, 12 Dec 2013 07:40:14 GMT

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-12-12/no-pay-rise-for-aged-care-workers-after-coalition-scraps-labor-/5153192

Thousands of aged care workers will miss out on an expected pay rise after the Federal Government dumped a $1.2 billion fund set up by Labor.

The Workforce Compact would have given workers a 1 per cent pay rise on top of award increases.

The Government halted the scheme in September and this morning used its numbers in Parliament to dump the fund altogether.

The move comes just days after the Coalition scrapped a $300 million fund to give pay rises to childcare workers, describing the Labor scheme as a "union slush fund".

Assistant Minister for Employment Luke Hartsuyker says the aged care scheme was "unionism by stealth".

"Less than 1 per cent of aged care providers had applied for the supplement as at 26 September 2013, as the majority of aged care providers were not willing to apply for the supplement," he said.

"It was never going to reach the majority of aged care workers."

While the Government was expected to scrap the scheme, today's parliamentary tactics took many by surprise.

The Government interrupted the parliamentary schedule to move the motion to disallow the Workforce Compact, giving the Opposition little notice before the motion was debated.

Manager of Opposition Business Tony Burke was furious, saying standing orders should only be suspended if the matter is genuinely urgent.

"It's an urgency the Government has discovered within the last 24 hours, it's an urgency that the Government has discovered without consultation with the aged care sector, without consultation with the people to be impacted by this," he said.

"As I understand it, we're talking about a sector that has something like a 40 per cent turnover in its staffing."

The Opposition's spokesman on ageing, Shane Neumann, says it is a shameful act.

"There are 350,000 workers in the aged care sector who will discover that they will not get the pay rises, the better working conditions they deserve and need," he said.

"This is a very retrograde, tragic and shameful act by the Abbott Coalition Government, which was supposed to be a government of no surprises.

"Well, it's going to be a surprise to a lot of aged care workers and stakeholders."

Mr Neumann says the pay rise would have helped the rapidly growing aged care sector attract and retain workers.

The Government says it will work with the sector in coming months to work out how to use the money in a more targeted way.

Re: First child care workers, now aged care workers

bluecat*dancing — Thu, 12 Dec 2013 07:41:16 GMT

What a shameful government we have.

Re: First child care workers, now aged care workers

izabsmiling — Thu, 12 Dec 2013 07:44:43 GMT

it's really bad bluecat

I think those 2 policies were released and in a limited way (quiety) ...after blackout ?

Re: First child care workers, now aged care workers

the_great_she_elephant — Thu, 12 Dec 2013 07:47:43 GMT

If I manage to hang in there for another 10-15 years I guess I won't have to worry about voluntary euthanasia - the LNP will have made it mandatory for pensioners

Re: First child care workers, now aged care workers

izabsmiling — Thu, 12 Dec 2013 07:49:52 GMT

Sept 6,2013

A Coalition government would seek to slow or abandon requirements for childcare centres to lift staff numbers in child-to-staff ratios and employ more highly qualified workers.

The Coalition posted its childcare policy on its website late on Thursday, without issuing a press release or making an announcement.

In a shift from the Coalition's previous public position, the document says it would work with state and territory governments to slow down implementation of changes which require centres to lift the ratio of staff to children. It would also seek state and territory agreement to pause requirements for higher staff qualifications.

The Coalition's aged care policy – also published online late on Thursday without an announcement – makes clear it will take a similar approach to wages in aged care, ending a $1.2 billion Labor scheme to lift wages in that sector, and returning the money to the general aged care funding pool.

Re: First child care workers, now aged care workers

bluecat*dancing — Thu, 12 Dec 2013 08:12:21 GMT

It must be demoralising for these workers to be treated as if the job they do is so unimportant.

Re: First child care workers, now aged care workers

purple_haize — Thu, 12 Dec 2013 08:22:40 GMT

Both my daughter and her husband are age care nurses. The hospital where my daughter works, they are aways wanting staff, so many leave and there is not enough nurses as it is, to care for patients that are in high care.

Now with this, there will be even less..

Re: First child care workers, now aged care workers

chuk_77 — Thu, 12 Dec 2013 08:28:14 GMT

@bluecat*dancing wrote:
It must be demoralising for these workers to be treated as if the job they do is so unimportant.

as a child care worker, now know as an Educator... Nah we're use to it. 85% of us were going to miss out on that pay rise anyway, still sux for those who did get it but the pay rise was not industry wide which was causing a divide in the sector and it was only for 2 years

Re: First child care workers, now aged care workers

the_hawk* — Thu, 12 Dec 2013 08:42:16 GMT

@purple_haize wrote:
Both my daughter and her husband are age care nurses. The hospital where my daughter works, they are aways wanting staff, so many leave and there is not enough nurses as it is, to care for patients that are in high care.

Now with this, there will be even less..

Its OK they will get all the highly motivated caring people on the dole to do volutry work for their dole payments

Re: First child care workers, now aged care workers

spotweldersfriend — Thu, 12 Dec 2013 10:06:49 GMT

Well that's another 2 sectors of the workforce that won't be voting for this heartless mob at the next election.May we have our double dissolution now please Tony?

Re: First child care workers, now aged care workers

cherry*135 — Thu, 12 Dec 2013 12:33:05 GMT

Add the 12 000 public servants (casual and non-going) that will lose their jobs under the LNP Govt. (TA promised he would cull the public service by 12 000.. one promise he may actually keep unfortunately).

Lost voters there I would imagine.

Re: First child care workers, now aged care workers

acacia_pycnantha — Thu, 12 Dec 2013 12:38:03 GMT

All the agony will come in the first one and a half years of their term, then as election time looms ever nearer, it will be all baby-bonuses and school grants and bread and circuses.

Re: First child care workers, now aged care workers

the_hawk* — Sat, 14 Dec 2013 09:01:01 GMT

I recall him saying real wages will drop in the last few days, something to do with Holdens packing up?

Re: First child care workers, now aged care workers

*crikey*mate* — Sat, 14 Dec 2013 09:17:23 GMT

The wages in the childcare sector aren't and have never been a national secret. They are notoriously low.

So why do people enter these sectors and then wonder why their wages aren't higher?

I don't understand that.

What needs to happen is to create a demand, and then the wages will rise.

If people stop entering the field, there will be a severe shortage. Stands to reason then that wages will rise.

Also, exactly what qualifications are required to become a childcare worker? Are those with their bachelor Early Child care p[aid more than those either unqualified or with a certIII?

why not do private nannying? I know 15 years ago we used to pay $600 a week for a live in nanny/housekeeper. Must be more than that these days?

Re: First child care workers, now aged care workers

*crikey*mate* — Sat, 14 Dec 2013 09:19:11 GMT

@bluecat*dancing wrote:
It must be demoralising for these workers to be treated as if the job they do is so unimportant.

I don't believe that it is about the job being deemed unimportant, I believe it is about supply and demand.

Re: First child care workers, now aged care workers

peelapotata — Sat, 21 Dec 2013 14:04:45 GMT

The wages in the childcare sector aren't and have never been a national secret. They are notoriously low.

So why do people enter these sectors and then wonder why their wages aren't higher?

I don't understand that.

People enter this occupation because they love working with children and helping in their learning and growing.

What needs to happen is to create a demand, and then the wages will rise.

If people stop entering the field, there will be a severe shortage. Stands to reason then that wages will rise.

Have you not read the press .... on an average they reckon 2500 carers leave the industry every year, fewer people are entering the industry to replace them. This has not altered the wages one iota, most people just work longer hours to maintain the centres ratios and abide by licensings rules.

Also, exactly what qualifications are required to become a childcare worker? Are those with their bachelor Early Child care p[aid more than those either unqualified or with a certIII?

To become a child care worker you now need to have a minimum of a Certificate 2 in Children's Services, you can then go on to either your Cert 4 or straight to your Diploma in Children's Services. You must also have a Working with Children Certificate, A Senior First Aid Certificate, an Asthma & Anaphalxis Certificate and be prepared to update these on a regular basis. Diploma trained staff also need to have their Supervisor's Certificate- as anyone who opens or closes a centre must have this certificate.

Bachelors of Early Childhood holders are usually teachers and every centre must have access to one for a minimum or 20 hrs per week, they can also work in a centre and a group leader, but not in the Babies room as they are not covered from 0- 2yrs within their courses. Yes, those with their Diploma & Bachelor are paid more than those with a Cert 3, but they are also responsible for more within the centre.

Re: First child care workers, now aged care workers

peelapotata — Sat, 21 Dec 2013 14:19:34 GMT

why not do private nannying? I know 15 years ago we used to pay $600 a week for a live in nanny/housekeeper. Must be more than that these days?

Nannying is not for everyone, I know of a few girls who have done that and been ripped off. The parents expect you to do more and more but with no more pay and some have even had to forfeit their days off due to the parents having 'something important they must attend' so they have no choice but to stay. Then there is the fact that they sign a 12mth contract,so if things dont go right they are stuck there with no recourse but to stick it out until the contract is finished. To be honest the wages arent that good, if you take into account all you have to do and the hours you have to work , also most nannys live on the premises as part of their contract.

As a childcare worker, Diploma trained, I work long ours in the last couple of months I have worked over 80hr fortnights, we are rostered on for 75hrs, but due to the lack of staff we have to stay back and work until the numbers decrease and we have enough carers to cover our ratios.

Ratios:

Babies :1 Carer to 4 babies

Toddlers: 1 Carer to 5 toddlers

Kindy: 1 Carer to 10 kindy children.

I actually work relief work, always have done ... when I was a Certificate 3 I was fully booked for the whole year, between the centres I work. Now as Diploma Qualified Im still booked up for the whole year and usually do blocks of months in the centres. There are not a lot of workers out there looking for full time work and even less for relief work.

So yes an increase in wages would actually draw more people in, but it hasnt of late and our PM thinks we dont need an increase, he wants to train more people a certain way. There is nothing wrong with the training everyone is getting at present, its just that there is no large incentive for young people to want to enter the industry due to the low wages & long hours we work.

I have in fact heard him say that we need to increase the hours to accomodate shift workers ... well we are open from 6.30am to 6.30pm now ... thats a 12 hour window and still people drop their little ones off at 6.30am and pick them up close to 6.30pm ... opening up overnight which is what the PM seems to be indicating is required is not going to work, because I doubt many people will want to work an overnight shift - where you have to be alert all night, to supervise the children in your care without a large increase in wages. \

Wages in other industries have increased over the years and you only have to look at the wages people are paid on the mines to know there is money out there it just needs to be channelled into the right industries.

vent over

Re: First child care workers, now aged care workers

windrake — Sat, 21 Dec 2013 23:11:02 GMT

I suspect that this will not be the last of the measures taken to get some kind of balance in the country's finances. Some kind of middle ground far away from the chaos of the Rudd/Gillard/Rudd failures.

As was written at the time, this move by Labor was to shore up their numbers & sign up members . This cynical exploitation of low skilled workers was & is seen for what it was.

Yes, we all want highly skilled wages even if we don't qualify for them. Yes we all want what they've got but that's not the way it works.

I suspect there will be nothing any on here like about the Abbott government but that's the way it is, that's the way it will be for the next term & maybe even longer.

The focusing on the few blunders this new gov. has made is unfair, is being seen for what it is, it is not chaotic & useless as Shorten & his followers are running the line but calm & determined to see the country through the future that is not going to be rosy for us, no more mining boom delivering mountains of money that Labor had & wasted.

Stop swallowing the rhetoric & fallacies being run by Shorten & enjoy the Christmas cheers & goodwill to all, really is a more productive thing to occupy the mind at this time of year.

Re: First child care workers, now aged care workers

freddie*rooster — Sat, 21 Dec 2013 23:19:40 GMT

Next on the list is those on disability pensions.

Re: First child care workers, now aged care workers

freakiness — Sat, 21 Dec 2013 23:26:01 GMT

@windrake wrote:
I suspect that this will not be the last of the measures taken to get some kind of balance in the country's finances. Some kind of middle ground far away from the chaos of the Rudd/Gillard/Rudd failures.

As was written at the time, this move by Labor was to shore up their numbers & sign up members . This cynical exploitation of low skilled workers was & is seen for what it was.

Yes, we all want highly skilled wages even if we don't qualify for them. Yes we all want what they've got but that's not the way it works.

I suspect there will be nothing any on here like about the Abbott government but that's the way it is, that's the way it will be for the next term & maybe even longer.

The focusing on the few blunders this new gov. has made is unfair, is being seen for what it is, it is not chaotic & useless as Shorten & his followers are running the line but calm & determined to see the country through the future that is not going to be rosy for us, no more mining boom delivering mountains of money that Labor had & wasted.

Stop swallowing the rhetoric & fallacies being run by Shorten & enjoy the Christmas cheers & goodwill to all, really is a more productive thing to occupy the mind at this time of year.

Perhaps you could consider no swallowing the Abbott and co spin.

Did you actually read what Peela wrote or just jump in to defend the attacks on the lowest paid?