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Autumn 2004

Salvos Homes on the Market

Workers and workplaces bought and sold. It’s happening more and more everyday, and everyday it underlines the need for unions.

Today, it's the Salvation Army, placing their nursing homes across Australia on the market; thousands of Salvation Army aged-care workers across Australia about to be bought and sold, wondering what the future holds.

For workers at Tyler Village Nursing Home in the North and Levenbank Hostel in the North West, it's an immediate reality.

For HACSU officials and members, transfer of ownership - buyouts and takeovers - is something we deal with all the time.

Buyouts, transfers, reviews seem to be the way of the modern workforce.

HACSU regards these situations with the utmost gravity. These issues immediately become a top priority on our agenda. We get onto it straight away, doing our best to be proactive and make sure members' entitlements are protected and members are in the best position in a difficult situation.

HACSU officials and members who work for the Salvation Army's aged care facilities are now negotiating transfer agreements to protect accrued entitlements, safeguard members' job security and hours of work.

Inevitably new employers will come into the industry. Some will deal fairly and honourably. Others will try it on.

Rogue employers - and there are already some in this industry - will come in, implement a "review", all the while having a clear agenda to make as many workers redundant as possible, and forcing the remaining workers to work harder for less.

There is only one way workers in the modern workforce can protect themselves.
That's to join with their colleagues in the union, to actively participate, and stand together resolutely when it is necessary.

This is the time for HACSU members working in Salvation Army facilities - and any aged care facility for that matter - to raise the issue with their workmates. Ask the question of your workmates "Are you in the union and paid up?"

Remember, this should not be a taboo question, something that's a secret. HACSU members work towards and win pay increases that others receive without making a
contribution. This should not be left to fester underground, it should be raised and talked about.

There's no need to be aggressive about it, but it should just be made clear that it is in everyone's interest for people to join up and to contribute, particularly so now.

For HACSU members working in any of the Salvation Army's nursing homes, it is vital that members keep up to date with what is going on, get involved, and above all else, make sure all of your colleagues are in the union.

Over the coming months and next few years, as the new owners take over, we have to be well organized to make sure we are not only able to protect what we have got, but we are also able to make improvements to keep up with the cost of living and the advances being won by workers in other industries.

The aged care industry will be a very difficult industry in terms of industrial relations for the foreseeable future, with the bulk of financing coming from Government funding and governments attempting to limit - or cut - costs as this budget item blows out with Australia's ageing population.

Remembering, of course, that because Tasmania has Australia's oldest population per head, we face the most difficult task of any Australian State.