Aged Care Workers say End Poverty NOW!

"My 17 year old daughter works at MacDonalds, she earns more than I do" says Moana Te Tau who has been working in Aged Care as a caregiver for the last 7 years.

Over the past 10 years profits have soared for Aged Care operators, now ALL of New Zealand's major resthomes and aged care hospitals are controlled by multi-national coporations.

Service and Food Workers Union Nga Ringa Tota union members will be on the street tomorrow to protest their employers consistent refusal to pass-on a fair share of the huge annual profits.

"Investing in the workers should be a number one priority for aged care operators, instead they are focussed on the million-dollar profits that are available." Says SFWU National Secretary John Ryall

"The amount of work that caregivers have to do is increasing are our elderly become more and more dependent - but most caregivers have been 10 years without a decent pay rise, most are lucky to get $12 an hour." said Mr Ryall

"Aged care is being touted as a 'growth industry' for investment, meanwhile the people on the ground, doing the hard work, are some of the lowest paisd in our community. That's a disgrace and we're saying that enough is enough."

With increased funding, a more responsible attitude from the employers and a minimum wage increase to $12p/h we can start to roll-back the poverty-wage jobs in industries like aged care.

Auckland Aged Care workers, along with cleaners and hospital workers from SFWU will be rallying at Britomart from 5pm on Global Anti-Poverty Day, 17 th October.

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