We want the wages gap closed!
The ANF is calling upon the three major political parties to commit to closing the wage gap, now!
The Australian Nursing Federation (ANF) has embarked on its own election campaign to urge all three major political parties to close the wages gap in aged care and inject a greater sense of social justice back into the sector.
More than 20 nurses with ANF banners in-hand lined the street outside the Melbourne facility where the great debate was held yesterday in an effort to campaign for the introduction of minimum staffing ratios and full funding to help bridge the wages gap.
ANF federal secretary, Lee Thomas, said she was disappointed that the talk surrounding the election had, so far, neglected the real issue of people, in particular nurses and assistants in nursing who actually deliver care for residents in aged care.
“We are hoping to get a commitment out of three parties that if they are elected they will mandate care hours in residential care and close the wages gap,” Ms Thomas said.
“We reckon that four and a half hours of care per day, per resident, is really important so that each and every resident gets good quality care.
“None of the parties, certainly the Coalition and even the Greens to some extent haven’t really focused on the work force.
“If there are not nurses and assistants in nursing in aged care then none of the care will get delivered. Certainly labour has put a lot of money into training and education and into nurse practitioners and we think those initiatives are very good but we need a workforce plan and we need the number of care hours mandated.
“In order to be able to attract nurses and assistant nurses in aged care, not only do you need to have minimum hours but you need to be able to afford good wages.”
Program educator, Kathi Gregor, teaches aged care to nurses at the ANF education centre.
“Without a doubt I think [the wages gap] is putting people off going into the aged care sector,” Ms Gregor said.
“Money talks and it’s very important that equality is given to the people who work in aged care because they work just as hard, or even harder, compared with the acute sector and rehabilitation.
“To the future government, just understand that nurses work very hard. Aged care is very much in need of change, aged care [staff] need recognition and nurses need to be rewarded.”