Guardian Healthcare Refuses to Share Profits

5 December 2005

Guardian Healthcare Refuses to Share Bumper Profits With Hardworking Staff

Over 500 staff employed by Guardian Healthcare Limited are considering industrial action leading up to Christmas after their wealthy corporate employer refused to budge from a 1% pay offer.

New Zealand Nurses Organisation spokesperson Jane Kostanich said the NZNO and Service and Food Workers Union members had already given a mandate for industrial action at meetings prior to these negotiations.

In negotiations last week GHG once again rejected a union offer to settle the dispute, including a pay scale of $12 to $14 for caregivers. GHG pays as low as the minimum wage of $9.50 an hour to experienced caregivers.

Jane Kostanich said at the resumption of negotiations after the strike action all that was on offer was 1% and raising the starting rate for caregivers to a paltry $10.00 per hour.

"GHG say they won't "dip into their own pockets"," said Jane Kostanich.

"Those pockets are very deep indeed for this Australian-owned corporate which is already predicting a bumper 2006 profit of $28 million."

Jane Kostanich said the unions working in aged care strongly supported recent calls for an increase in the minimum wage to $12.

"Profitable companies like GHG must be prevented from exploiting their staff," she said.

"These workers care for our most vulnerable, doing one of the most important jobs in the country, requiring responsibility, skills and compassion. GHG is making money out of aged care and refusing to share any of their profits with their staff."

ENDS

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