Election 2022: Aged-care workers to walk out on May 10

Thousands of aged-care workers in three states to strike in protest at inadequate staffing and pay.

UWU aged-care director Carolyn Smith.

Thousands of aged-care workers in three states will strike on May 10 in protest against inadequate staffing and pay.

The United Workers Union said it would limit the action to five hours and give unusually ­advanced notification of the walkout to ensure the health and safety of residents was not jeopardised.

The strike action will disrupt providers employing more than 12,000 aged-care workers in 160 centres caring for about 12,700 residents.

Those affected include Blue­Care in Queensland, Southern Cross Care in South Australia and Aegis in Western Australia.

The workers will walk off the job in each state about 11.30am, ensuring lunches for residents are prepared before they strike.

Workers will then rally in Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth and, if rostered, will return to work before the residents’ dinner time.

Members of the Health ­Services Union in Victoria and NSW do not intend to take industrial action.

Fair Work Commission hearings into a HSU claim to lift aged-care pay to 25 per cent above the award are continuing, and providers have called for the industrial action not to go ahead until the case is determined.

Anthony Albanese has pledged that a federal Labor government would fully fund any pay rises awarded to aged-care workers by the commission.

Scott Morrison said the ­Coalition would back increases ordered by the commission.

Leading Aged Services Australia chief executive Sean ­Rooney said on Thursday that aged-care workers should ­continue their compassionate and dedicated work in looking after the residents and clients in their care.

“It is unclear how industrial action at this point in time would assist in the work-value case that is before the Fair Work Commission,” he said.

“Aged-care providers support the work-value case and call on all parties, whoever is elected to government, to support the outcome and fully fund a pay rise for aged-care staff, as recommended by the royal commission.”

UWU aged-care director Carolyn Smith said aged-care workers had been forced to take unprecedented strike action ­because pay and conditions were failing workers and residents.

“Aged-care workers are fed up with waiting, fed up with Scott Morrison’s incompetence and fed up with employers’ excuses,” Ms Smith said.

She said the union this week had handed the aged-care ­regulator “thousands of heartbreaking ­reports”, describing how aged-care residents had been left unshowered, soiled and injured because of a lack of care.

“Every single report was filed after the royal commission’s findings and the budget response,” Ms Smith said.

“Aged-care workers were promised the royal commission would fix things.

“It didn’t; in fact things are worse.

“Aged-care workers were promised they would be looked after with vaccinations, boosters, RATs and PPE.

“They weren’t; in fact they were at the back of the queue.

“Aged-care workers were left to fend for themselves when ­Omicron tore through aged-care facilities, where more than 1150 aged-care residents have died this year.

“Monumental failure by Scott Morrison and his incompetent cricket-prioritising Aged Care Services Minister means that aged-care workers are being forced to hold their employers ­accountable,” Ms Smith said.