Community included as aged care staff fight for better conditions

Workers at Tasmania’s biggest aged care facility are furious over staff shortages, “unmanageable workloads” and are worried about how they might cope with a second wave of COVID-19.

OneCare, Burnie.

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STAFF at Tasmania’s biggest aged care facility will letterbox the community to share their concerns about staff shortages, “unmanageable workloads” and how they might cope with a second wave of COVID-19.

OneCare Umina Park in Burnie is home to hundreds of elderly residents.

“With the Aged Care Royal Commission’s final report due soon, and the threat of a return of

COVID-19 to Tasmania with reopened borders, members at Umina Park have decided now is the time for real change,” the Health and Community Services Union said on Monday.

A protest will also be held on site on Tuesday morning.

Staff have begun letterboxing the Burnie community and asking local businesses to support their campaign.

HACSU Assistant State Secretary Robbie Moore said the conditions at Umina Park amounted to “short-staffing on steroids.”

“Despite trying to work with management to bring about positive change for the residents,

OneCare have failed to address the problem,” Mr Moore said.

“With residents starting to be impacted by the chronic understaffing, staff now feel they have no option but to try and win community support for their calls for more staff.”

OneCare has been contacted for comment