Glenella Care aged care workers rally for pay rise

Staff at a private aged care facility in Mackay are threatening to walk off the job over pay and condition disputes.

A private aged care facility in Mackay is at risk of losing its staff to other nursing homes and hospitals if pay and conditions are not improved.

Glenella Care employees rallied outside the facility, with demands for a pay rise of $1.05 and six weeks of parental leave to be included in workers’ benefits packages.

Queensland Nurses and Midwives’ Union Mackay organiser Sharon Eaton said Glenella Care needed to “come to the party with what the staff deserve”.

“They’re overworked and underpaid, and if they don’t get what they’re entitled to, they could just leave and go to Queensland Health or another facility and earn 30 per cent more,” she said.

Queensland Nurses and Midwives' Union Mackay organiser Sharon Eaton outside Glenella Care protesting better pay for nurses, October 25, 2021. Picture: Matthew Forrest

“It comes back to the federal government as well, and whether they’re going to put their hands in their long pockets and bring out some money for aged care in Queensland.

“I think it’s incredibly brave of the nurses to risk their work and come here and do this, they feel very passionate about what their entitlements are.”

Glenella Care employees rallied before and after their shifts at the Davey St facility, meaning residents were not left unattended.

Ms Eaton said the facility owners ANNIMACI Pty Ltd had initially offered staff a 45 cent per hour pay rise with no paid parental leave, but had since increased that to 75 cents per hour and four weeks paid maternity leave.

Nurses outside Glenella Care protesting better pay for nurses, October 25, 2021. Picture: Matthew Forrest

The staff want $1.05 extra per hour and six weeks paid parental leave.

“Glenella staff love this facility and are proud to work here,’’ Ms Eaton said.

“However, like many other private aged care facilities throughout Queensland and Australia, staff are being forced to consider leaving due to incredibly low rates of pay and poor conditions.”

She said staff had been forced to work double shifts of up to 16 hours to meet resident needs and some employees were going to work at 3am to help their colleagues and ensure resident needs were met.

“Staff are being underpaid and overworked and are struggling to provide the care their elderly residents deserve,’’ Ms Eaton said.

“These extremely dedicated staff have been pushed to the edge and that’s why they’re standing up to rally.’’

The QNMU has made submissions to more than 60 state, federal and other aged care inquiries to call for mandated federal laws around safe staffing in the nation’s 2000-plus private aged care facilities.

Originally published as Glenella Care aged care workers rally for pay rise