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AGED CARE NURSES ANGRY OVER 3% WAGE OFFER

Nurse members of the Health and Community services Union (HACSU) working in the Tasmanian aged care sector have rejected a 3% up front wage increase whilst negotiations continue for a new enterprise agreement.

At the moment aged care nurses are 6% behind their peers working in the acute sector and will fall further behind in March when public sector nurses receive a further wage increase.

HACSU Industrial Officer Leanne McDougall said:

"Members believe they are being treated as second class citizens and are demanding parity in wages and conditions with their peers working in the acute sector. Nurses working in public hospitals have agreed staffing levels and are entitled to 12 weeks paid maternity leave, allowances for additional qualifications and for undertaking a preceptor role, and 13 weeks long service leave after 10 years of service. Aged care nurses have none of these conditions and are now being asked to accept a wages offer that will not address the gap in wages and conditions.

So far all the aged care industry has been prepared to put on the table is a 3% wage increase and the ability to access pro rata long service leave at 10 years of service but only if nurses agree to halve their sick leave entitlements."

Leanne said, "If employers are serious about the recruitment and retention of nurses to aged care and maintaining quality levels of care to the elderly they must negotiate in a meaningful way to achieve this."

HACSU will continue to meet with representatives of the Aged Care Industry in an attempt to address this matter.